BOSTON (AP) — Derek Jeter shook off an injury to tie Willie Mays for 10th place on the career hits list, backing Phil Hughes and helping the Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 2-0 Thursday night to maintain a share of the AL East lead.
New York won consecutive games for the first time in a month and kept pace with the Baltimore Orioles, who completed a three-game sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays with a 3-2, 14-inning win.
Hughes (15-12) retired his first 10 batters and gave up five hits in 7 1-3 innings. He struck out seven, walked one and allowed just three runners past first base, ending a streak of seven straight starts in which he allowed home runs. Hughes has given up two or fewer runs in five of his last six starts.
Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth for his 38th save in 41 chances.
Jeter started at designated hitter after leaving Wednesday night's 5-4 win when he pulled up lame lunging for first base trying to avoid a double-play grounder in the eighth.
He was 0 for 3 then blooped a run-scoring single to center field in the seventh inning for the 3,283rd hit of his career to match Mays. Eddie Collins is next at 3,313.
New York, which led the division by 10 games before play on July 19, went 5-5 on a trip to Tampa Bay, Baltimore and Boston.
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