Rays return from brink

Johnson homer and Navarro RBI double take the Florida side home as Yankees beat the Angels.

Tampa Bay Rays Dan Johnson watches a solo home run with Boston Red Sox Jason Varitek during the ninth inning of their MLB American League baseball game at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts September 9, 2008.  REUTERS/Adam Hunger  (UNITED STATES) *** Local Caption ***  FEN13_BASEBALL-_0910_11.JPG
Powered by automated translation

NEW YORK // Dan Johnson hit a game-tying home run off All-Star closer Jonathan Papelbon in the top of the ninth inning and Dioner Navarro delivered an RBI double moments later to help the reeling Tampa Bay Rays record a 5-4 triumph over the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Jason Bay had given the Red Sox a 4-3 lead with a two-run homer in the eighth but just moments after Bay took his curtain call, Johnson, who was a late scratch from the starting lineup due to delays getting to the park, took Papelbon (5-4) deep to tie the game at 4-4 and stun the Fenway crowd.

Rookie Fernando Perez, also a recent call-up, then doubled off the "Green Monster" for his second career hit and Navarro followed with a two-base hit of his own to plate the eventual game-winner. Rookie Alfredo Aceves hurled seven solid innings in his first major league start as the New York Yankees posted a 7-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Derek Jeter stroked two hits to give him 2,520 for his career, surpassing Babe Ruth for second place on the Yankees' all-time list. Lou Gehrig is the team's all-time leader with 2,721.

En route to his first career win, Aceves (1-0) allowed one run and five hits while striking out two without a walk for New York, who bounced back from a 12-1 loss on Monday that was marred by a bench-clearing brawl. Johnny Damon homered twice and Alex Rodriguez added a three-run blast to help stymie the Angels, whose magic number to clinch the American League West Division was two before entering the contest.

Jesse Litsch tossed seven strong innings and Marco Scutaro homered and scored three times, sending the Toronto Blue Jays to an 8-2 victory over the Chicago White Sox to complete a day-night doubleheader sweep. Earlier, AJ Burnett took a no-hitter into the sixth inning and Lyle Overbay drove in a pair of runs as the Blue Jays defeated the White Sox 3-1. * PA Sport