NEW YORK — Russell Martin hit a grand slam to help stop the Yankees’ struggles with the bases loaded and Andy Pettitte was dominant again at home, leading New York to a 7-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday night.
Nick Swisher hit an RBI double after Raul Ibanez was walked intentionally and the Yankees treated Rays starter James Shields to another drubbing in the Bronx. Pettitte (3-2) pitched two-hit ball for 71/3 innings, striking out 10 in New York’s ninth win in 12 games.
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“Whether it’s a streak or it’s not a streak, I just like it,” Yanks Manager Joe Girardi said of his team’s run that has helped the Yankees move a season-high six games over .500.
Shields (6-4) was sabotaged early by the Rays’ ever-shifting defense as New York scored two unearned runs in the first thanks to an error by shortstop Elliot Johnson. The Rays made three errors in the game.
The Yankees returned home from a 6-3 trip to beat the Rays for the third time in four meetings since Tampa Bay swept a season-opening three-game series.
Carlos Pena singled in the fifth for the only other hit against Pettitte.
Pettitte improved to 3-1 at Yankee Stadium since his return from retirement. In four starts there, he’s allowed just six runs (1.88 ERA).
INDIANS 4, TIGERS 2: Ubaldo Jimenez pitched impressively into the seventh inning and Cleveland hit three run-scoring triples off rookie Drew Smyly to win at Detroit.
BLUE JAYS 9, WHITE SOX 5: Colby Rasmus went 5 for 5 with a homer to help Ricky Romero earn his seventh win as Toronto won at Chicago.
ROYALS 1, TWINS 0: Bruce Chen outdueled Francisco Liriano to make a lone run scored in the second inning stand up as Kansas City won at home.
Chen (5-5) allowed four hits without a walk to win for the fifth time in six starts.
Liriano (1-6) allowed only four hits in six innings, but three of them came in the second when the Twins’ failure to turn a double play proved costly. It allowed Brayan Pena to send an RBI single rolling through the left side of the infield for the game’s only run.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
BRAVES 11, MARLINS 0: Dan Uggla hit two homers in his first game at Marlins Park, including a tape-measure blow off the home-run sculpture, and Tim Hudson pitched a five-hitter for his 13th career shutout for Atlanta.
CUBS 10, BREWERS 0: Ryan Dempster earned his first win since last August, throwing seven innings of three-hit ball as Chicago won at Milwaukee.
PIRATES 8, REDS 4: Clint Barmes had three hits and drove in three runs as Pittsburgh won at Cincinnati.
DODGERS 2, PHILLIES 1: Elian Herrera hit a two-run double off winless Cliff Lee in the eighth inning and Los Angeles won at Philadelphia.
NATIONALS 7, METS 6: Rookie Bryce Harper hit a winning single with two outs in the 12th inning to give Washington a win at home.
Scott Hairston hit a solo homer in the top of the 12th to give New York a 6-5 lead.
ASTROS 9, CARDINALS 8: Justin Maxwell hit a two-run homer, Jose Altuve tied a career high with four hits and Houston beat visiting St. Louis.
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