After Mike Mussina (11-6) pitched six shutout innings, Rivera took over in the ninth with a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox quickly scored a run and were poised to get more, but Rivera struck out Coco Crisp, got Jason Varitek on a popup and fanned Julio Lugo for his 23rd save.

The Yankees won after losing the first two games of the series to Boston. Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner, two of New York’s three healthy outfielders, each drove in a run and made a nice play in the field.

Justin Masterson (4-3) hit three batters, threw a wild pitch and walked two, but managed to hold the Yankees in check in his six innings. The rookie right-hander allowed six hits in his first appearance against New York.

Rays 3, Royals 0 At St. Petersburg, Florida, Andy Sonnanstine pitched seven strong innings, Ben Zobrist homered again and Tampa Bay blanked Kansas City for its sixth straight win.

Zobrist homered for the third game in a row and the Rays increased their AL East lead to a season-high four games over second-place Boston. Tampa Bay has won 10 of 11.

Sonnanstine (10-3) won his fourth consecutive decision. He allowed five hits, walked one and struck out two.

Akinori Iwamura put the Rays ahead 2-0 with a two-out, two-run double in the second off Zack Greinke (7-5). Royals center fielder Joey Gathright made a dive and just missed catching the ball.

White Sox 6, Athletics 1 At Chicago, Gavin Floyd pitched 7 1-3 scoreless innings to get his 10th victory and Nick Swisher, Brian Anderson and Alexei Ramirez homered in Chicago’s win over Oakland.

Oakland had captured the first two games of the four-game series to cool off the White Sox, who’d won seven straight before the A’s came to town.

Greg Smith (5-7), who pitched a complete game four-hitter in his previous start against the Angels, went five-plus innings, allowing five hits and four runs while tying a career high with six walks.

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