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Gross' RBI single in 11th helps Rays top Yankees

May 14, 2008 - 4:02 AM ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- The New York Yankees were able to extend the Tampa Bay Rays to extra innings, but it wasn't enough to slow down the red-hot Rays.

Gabe Gross' RBI single in the bottom of the 11th inning off Mariano Rivera lifted the Rays past the Yankees, 2-1, on Tuesday.

The win extended the Rays' franchise-record home winning streak to 11 games and moved Tampa Bay (23-16) into first place in the American League East, one-half game ahead of the Boston Red Sox (24-18).

"As good as that is, it's about four-and-a-half months premature right now," Gross said. "We've got a long way to go, but it's good to be there now."

Tampa Bay, which has never been in first place this late in the season, has limited its opponents to one run or less in nine of its 23 victories.

"It's nice to get another win in another tough extra-inning situation," Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon said.

The Rays were two outs from their third shutout win in their last five games until Hideki Matsui's one-out, ninth-inning home run off closer Troy Percival.

It was Percival's second blown save in his last four appearances and tied the contest at 1-1.

"I'm unhappy we had to go to extra innings," Percival said. "I threw the pitch I wanted to throw - there are probably three hitters in the league that hit that out."

Rivera (0-1) came on in the 10th but, in the 11th, allowed a leadoff single to Cliff Floyd. Jonny Gomes ran for Floyd and stole second before Gross hit Rivera's next pitch up the middle to give Tampa Bay its sixth consecutive win.

"I was just trying to get him to third so we could get a sacrifice fly and win the game," Gross said.

It was the first run allowed in 15 appearances this season by Rivera.

"It's going to happen," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Mo has been outstanding for us all year long and it's going to happen. It's part of the game."

Edwin Jackson allowed only five hits in seven scoreless innings but did not figure in the decision.

"Edwin's pitched great the last two times out," Maddon said. "He did a nice job against lefties tonight. If he continues to pound the strike zone, he'll be successful."

Tampa Bay took a 1-0 lead in the fourth on Eric Hinske's two-out RBI single. Hinske's hit scored Carlos Pena, who led off the inning with a double.

Jackson, who walked one and struck out five, escaped jams in the sixth and seventh innings.

Derek Jeter had a one-out triple in the sixth but was stranded when Bobby Abreu grounded to shortstop and Matsui popped up to the same position.

With two out In the seventh and Melky Cabrera at third base, pinch hitter Shelley Duncan struck out to end the inning.

Chien-Ming Wang allowed seven hits and one run in seven innings. He struck out two and walked three.

"Obviously you get another outstanding performance out of Chien-Ming and it's a game we're very capable of winning," Girardi said. "But we didn't win tonight."

J.P. Howell (3-0) pitched two innings of hitless relief for the win.

Jason Giambi had two hits for the Yankees, who fell two games under .500 (19-21) for the first time since May 1.

"Matsui's home run was a big lift for us and it gave us an opportunity to win," Girardi said. "It felt like today was the day we're coming back."