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Abreu's Double In 10th Lifts Surging Yankees Over Rays

POSTED: 7:20 pm EDT July 9, 2008

(Sports Network) - Bobby Abreu's double in the 10th inning drove home Derek Jeter from first, giving the New York Yankees a 2-1 win over the Tampa Bay Rays and a sweep of a brief two-game set.

Sidney Ponson tossed six innings, allowing only five hits and one run with four strikeouts and two walks to get a no-decision in his third start for the Yankees. Mariano Rivera (4-3) threw two shutout innings of relief, fanning four, to get the win. Jeter scored both runs for New York, which won its fourth in a row.

Edwin Jackson scattered six hits and a run over 6 1/3 innings, with three strikeouts and two walks to pick up a no-decision.

"I made them put the ball in play. I tried to challenge them," said Jackson.

Grant Balfour (2-1) surrendered Abreu's double in the 10th to take the loss for Tampa. Carlos Pena's homer provided the lone run for the Rays, who have dropped three straight.

The Yankees had a chance to win it in the ninth. Jorge Posada drew a leadoff walk, and pinch-runner Justin Christian moved to second on a Robinson Cano sacrifice bunt, and then stole third with Melky Cabrera at the plate. Cabrera struck out, though, and Jose Molina popped out to send the game to extras.

Rivera, who worked around a one-out walk in the ninth to keep the Rays off the board, struck out two in a 1-2-3 10th. The Yankees didn't wait long to end it in the home half.

Jeter worked a one-out walk, and after fighting off a few pitches, Abreu laced a low changeup into the gap in right-center. The ball went all the way back to the wall, and Jeter easily scored from first to give the Yanks the win.

"That was a ball in the gap and Derek, with his speed, he runs really good on the bases, he had a chance to score," said Abreu.

Jason Giambi's RBI single to center in the first gave New York an early 1-0 lead. The Rays knotted the game up on Pena's leadoff homer to center, his 14th of the season.

Game Notes

It was Giambi mustache day at the stadium, with 20,000 fake mustaches handed out to fans in support of the Yankees first baseman, who is one of the players up for the final spot on the AL All-Star team...Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, who is also up for the vote for the final All-Star spot, was named AL Rookie of the Month for June on Wednesday...Abreu's RBI double was his first walk-off hit as a Yankee...Christian's stolen base in the ninth was the first of his career.


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