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Rodriguez's game-winning homer lifts Yankees past Red Sox

Jun 4, 2007 - 6:16 AM BOSTON (Ticker) -- Alex Rodriguez capped off his long week with something to smile about.

Rodriguez stroked a game-winning homer in top of the ninth inning as the New York Yankees rallied for a 6-5 triumph over the Boston Red Sox in the rubber game of a three-game series on Sunday night.

Rodriguez's name was mentioned a lot the past few days as pictures of him and a former Las Vegas stripper surfaced in the New York Post on Friday. Two days prior, the former American League MVP was called out by Toronto for shouting to infielders as he ran the bases during a key popup in the ninth inning.

However, it was Rodriguez who came away looking good in this one, taking an 0-2 offering from Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon (0-1) to right-center field for his league-leading 20th blast of the season and fourth ninth-inning homer this season.

"That's a big win for us," said Rodriguez, adding that it will provide the team with momentum heading into its series against the Chicago White Sox. "It's important to go to Chicago and play well and try to get some wins. It's just good to get a win. It's nice."

"The chance of hitting an 0-2 pitch off Papelbon for a home run (very small)," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I'm just glad it happened for us. He kept fighting and finally we were able to prevail at that point."

It was the second homer Papelbon has allowed this season and the first since Travis Buck's longball lifted Oakland over Boston on May 1.

"I had him 0-2, which was exactly what I wanted to do obviously," Papelbon said. "In that situation, I've got to throw him something that is outside the zone and I didn't do that."

Opponents came in batting just .162 against Papelbon this season.

"It was a pitch I wanted to throw, no doubt about it," Papelbon said. "I threw it where I wanted to and I just have to think next time, hey, I have to throw it out of the zone and get him to chase something I meant to throw. He's obviously a great hitter. He wins some, I win some, we'll go back and forth all year."

Brian Bruney (2-1) picked up the win with a scoreless eighth and Mariano Rivera closed the door in the ninth, retiring the heart of Boston's lineup for his fifth save.

"We always play like this. All games are like this a battle," Rivera said. "It definitely feels good when you win."

Boston looked poised to take the series until the Yankees scored a run in the eighth for a 5-5 tie. Hideki Matsui singled and came around on Robinson Cano's triple off reliever Hideki Okajima.

New York got to Boston starter Josh Beckett for three runs in the fifth to forge a 4-0 lead. Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter scored on third baseman Mike Lowell's throwing error with the bases loaded, and Jorge Posada laced a run-scoring single to right.

However, Boston's high-powered offense came through in a big way in the bottom half against Yankees starter Andy Pettitte. Rookie Dustin Pedroia hit a bases-clearing double off the center field wall and scored when David Ortiz's base hit got past right fielder Bobby Abreu, tying the game at 4-4.

"The play Abreu made in the outfield was spectacular," Torre said. "It was a great, great victory for us. Obviously, it doesn't make a huge dent in the lead the Red Sox have, but I think it did a great deal for our confidence coming in here."

Boston took a 5-4 lead when Youkilis lofted a sacrifice fly, putting Beckett in position to improve to 9-0. Beckett gave up four runs and eight hits over 6 1/3 innings but the bullpen prevented him from joining Anaheim righthander John Lackey as the only nine-game winners in the majors.

Pettitte, who suffered from minor back spasms, allowed five runs and seven hits with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

"The third inning, making a pitch to Wily Mo (Pena), he just felt something when he came out of his delivery, a little spasm in the back," Torre said. "(Posada) called us out after he struck out Lugo. He said he was alright and you wanted to believe him even though you knew he wasn't alright. Then you saw the rest of it."

The Yankees were dealt another blow before the game when it was announced that first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz is out 6-to-8 weeks with a broken right wrist, suffered in Saturday's loss.