• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Cano, Rodriguez power Yankees

Apr 15, 2008 - 3:53 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- When Robinson Cano was summoned to pinch-hit in the eighth inning, he admitted he was still sleepy on the bench. After he delivered a game-winning home run, though, the New York Yankees hope this serves as a wake-up call.

Cano's home run was the difference Monday night as the Yankees edged the Tampa Bay Rays, 8-7, in a game that featured seven home runs.

Alex Rodriguez added four hits, including his 521st career home run, and Johnny Damon and Morgan Ensberg also homered as the Yankees, who established a season high for runs.

New York entered off consecutive losses at Boston and didn't arrive in St. Petersburg until 5 a.m. The Yankees still got off to a good start, taking a 7-2 lead after four innings, only to watch the Rays tie it in the seventh.

"You know I was lucky on that one, especially coming from the bench and watching the whole game," said Cano, who was hitting only .170 this season and originally wasn't scheduled to play Monday. "It was tough (to pinch-hit), I was still sleepy."

Rodriguez said a loss would have been "devastating" after leading, 7-2.

"The team needed this win a lot more than Robbie did (to break out of his slump)," Rodriguez said. "We all needed a confidence boost."

Manager Joe Girardi said the situation for Cano to pinch-hit presented itself, so he opted to replace Alberto Gonzalez.

"It was a big hit for us," Girardi said. "This is not how you would draw a game up, but it's a good character game for us."

The Yankees' 7-2 disappeared in the seventh inning thanks to three home runs. Carl Crawford and B.J. Upton had two-run homers and rookie Evan Longoria added a solo shot, the first of his major league career.

However, Cano rescued the Yankees with the second pinch-hit home run of his career.

Mariano Rivera got the final four outs for his fourth save.

"It (coming in the eighth) was a situation we needed him," Girardi said. "He was the guy I wanted out there."

Yankees starter Ian Kennedy left in the seventh after getting hit on the right hip by a Jason Bartlett line drive. Kennedy, who allowed eight hits and three earned runs, said he expects to make his next start.

"It's sore, it hit me on the belt line on the muscle," Kennedy said. "It's fine. Today I wanted to go right after these guys. My plan from the start was to challenge them."

Damon, who homered on the game's second pitch, finished with three RBI while Derek Jeter added two hits and two RBI. Jeter was making his first appearance since leaving a game on April 7 due to a strained left quadriceps muscle.

"It feels pretty good to give the team a head start and they followed my lead," said Damon, who had the 12th leadoff homer of his career.

Rodriguez's home run tied him with Willie McCovey and Ted Williams for 15th on the all-time list.

"That makes you cringe a little," Rodriguez said. "It definitely humbles you to even be mentioned with those two guys. It's hard to believe."

In the fourth, Damon's two-run double and Jeter's two-run single spotted the Yankees a 7-2 cushion. However, the Rays rallied in the seventh on home runs from Crawford, who finished with three RBIs, Upton and Longoria.

"I like the grit and comeback," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said. "We have to stop making the mental mistakes that don't permit us to win these kind of games. We made too many mental mistakes."

Rays starter Andy Sonnanstine left after 3 1/3 innings, allowing nine hits and seven runs.

"A lot of it was them making good swings," Sonnanstine said. "I probably need to throw a lot more fastballs, that's for sure."

Scott Dohmann came in and pitched 3 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing Tampa Bay to rally until Cano's homer off Al Reyes (1-2).

"He just hung a changeup and that happens," Maddon said. "I'm OK with physical mistakes."

Despite surrendering back-to-back homers to Upton and Longoria, Brian Bruney (1-0) picked up the win.

"If I executed the pitches I threw I'd be fine," Bruney said. "Personally, I wanted to finish the game."

The Yankees, who set a season high with 15 hits, climbed out of the American League East cellar, one-half game ahead of Tampa Bay.