Mike Mussina allowed three singles over seven innings and Doug Mientkiewicz hit a three-run homer as the New York Yankees beat the Baltimore Orioles 12-0 on Tuesday to pull within two-and-a-half games of Boston in the American League East.
New York, which has won 11 of 13, is as close to the first-place Red Sox, who lost 4-3 to Toronto, as it has been since before play on April 21. They also opened a four-and-a-half game lead over Detroit in the wild-card race.
Mientkiewicz also had an RBI single, and Melky Cabrera and Hideki Matsui both drove in three runs for the Yankees, who are closing in on their 13th straight playoff appearance. Derek Jeter added three hits.
Ramon Hernandez singled twice and Miguel Tejada reached on an infield dribbler in the seventh for Baltimore’s only hits off Mussina (10-10). Mussina struck out six, walked one and has thrown 12 two-three scoreless innings over two outings since returning to the rotation. He has won at least 10 games in an American League-record 16 straight seasons.
Jon Leicester (2-2) allowed six runs and six hits in four innings in his first career appearance against New York.
[via Taipei Times]
