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Rays beat Yanks again, AL East deadlocked

Sep 5, 2012 - 4:59 AM St. Petersburg, FL (Sports Network) - Evan Longoria slugged a two-run homer, while both B.J. Upton and Desmond Jennings hit solo shots as the Tampa Bay Rays took down the New York Yankees, 5-2, in the second edition of a three- game series.

Upton finished with two RBI and Jennings scored twice for the Rays, who have won the first two in the set and four straight overall.

Alex Cobb (9-8) allowed four hits and a pair of runs over seven innings, fanning five with one walk.

"I stuck to my gameplan," Cobb said. "When I established I was in the zone and got their bats in swing mode, I was able to work a little bit out of the zone and make them chase after some pitches."

Fernando Rodney picked up his 42nd save and second in as many days with a scoreless ninth.

Robinson Cano's two-run blast in the first inning was all the offense for the Yankees, who fell into a tie atop the AL East with Baltimore. The Orioles crushed Toronto, 12-0, earlier Tuesday.

"It's hard to win if you don't hit," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We've had a tough time scoring runs the last couple of weeks. ... That's been part of our problem."

Freddy Garcia (7-6) was tagged in defeat for five runs on five hits with four walks and five strikeouts.

Tampa moved ahead for good in the third, taking advantage of Garcia, who failed to bear down with two outs. Ben Zobrist worked a walk and Longoria launched a ball which barely made it to the seats in left center for a 3-2 Rays lead.

Jennings began the home fifth with a homer to left and Upton added one to center to make it a 5-2 game.

Cobb stranded a man on third in the second, then induced an inning-ending double-play grounder from Cano with two on and one out in the third. He retired his final 10 batters after a two-out base hit from Jayson Nix in the fourth.

Joel Peralta kept the Yanks at bay in the eighth and Rodney worked around a one-out single from Alex Rodriguez in the final frame.

Cano's two-run homer in the first was countered in the home half by Upton's RBI double.

Game Notes

Cobb has won his last five decisions since Aug. 1 ... Cano's home run marked the first time in 10 home starts this season that Cobb allowed a homer, a streak which ended at 53 innings ... Prior to the game, the Yankees recalled infielder Casey McGehee from Single-A Charleston ... Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected following the top of the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes by home plate umpire Tony Randazzo.