Bronx, NY – Shane Victorino's RBI single in the top of the 10th inning lifted the AL East-leading Boston Red Sox over the New York Yankees, 9-8, in the opener of a four-game series.
Victorino added a solo homer and ended with three RBI for the Red Sox, who now lead the Yankees by nine games in the division. Will Middlebrooks homered and scored twice and Ryan Lavarnway drove in two runs and scored a run.
Jake Peavy got the start and allowed four runs on six hits over six innings for Boston, which was coming off a 20-4 shellacking of the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday. Craig Breslow (5-2) pitched two scoreless innings of relief to pick up the win.
Robinson Cano knocked in three runs and scored a run for the Yankees, who came into Thursday's game with a 9-1 record in their last 10 home games. Lyle Overbay had two RBI.
New York starter Ivan Nova allowed three runs on five hits over four innings.
The Yankees sent Joba Chamberlain (2-1) to the mound in the 10th. Jacoby Ellsbury singled, stole second and scored on Victorino's single to right- center field.
"It's a tough loss, there's no doubt about it," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "But we have to bounce back. You can't feel sorry for yourself."
Koji Uehara retired the Yankees in order in the bottom half to record his 18th save of the season.
"To have the anchor back there, it allows everyone to fall in line behind the starter to bridge back to him," Red Sox manager John Farrell said of having Uehara. "Knowing that you've got him available to us, it's a luxury for us right now."
Trailing 7-2, the Yankees exploded for six runs in the seventh. Ichiro Suzuki walked and pinch-hitter Vernon Wells singled to left-center field to put men on the corners. Matt Thornton came in from the bullpen and Brett Gardner greeted him with an RBI single to left-center field. Derek Jeter then walked to load the bases with no outs. A run scored when Cano grounded into a fielder's choice.
Junichi Tazawa took over on the mound to face Alfonso Soriano, who hit an RBI single to right-center field. Curtis Granderson's run-scoring double to right got New York within one. After Alex Rodriguez struck out swinging, Overbay hit a two-run single to right to give the home team an 8-7 lead.
The Yankees sent Mariano Rivera to the hill in the ninth. Mike Napoli hit a two-out single to right-center field. Pinch-runner Quintin Berry stole second, advanced to third on Austin Romine's throwing error and scored on Stephen Drew's single to right-center field.
In the bottom half, New York failed to break the tie after putting a runner on second. Soriano worked a one-out walk and stole second before getting greedy and trying to steal third. Soriano got caught between second and third and was tagged out. Granderson struck out swinging to send the game into extras.
Each team scored a pair of runs in the third inning. Lavarnway and Middlebrooks singled to start the frame. Ellsbury's ground-rule double to right plated Lavarnway. Another run scored when Victorino grounded out. Boston loaded the bases later in the inning, but Napoli struck out looking.
Suzuki hit a one-out single to get the Yankees going in the bottom half. Gardner reached base on a bunt single and Jeter walked to load the bases. Cano drove in two with a double off the wall in right, making it a 2-2 contest.
Middlebrooks' homer to left in the fourth put Boston back in front.
The Red Sox tacked on three more runs in the fifth. Victorino led off with a homer off Preston Claiborne. Dustin Pedroia and David Ortiz singled before Daniel Nava walked to fill the bags. Napoli followed with an RBI single down the third-base line. Cesar Cabral was called in from the bullpen to record the first out. Adam Warren then came in and allowed a run to score when Lavarnway grounded into a fielder's choice.
Lavarnway added an RBI single in the seventh to make it 7-2 Boston. Nava scored on the play after hitting a double earlier in the frame.
Game Notes
Boston is 8-5 against New York this season ... The Red Sox started a seven- game road trip on Thursday ... Boston had 16 hits, compared to 10 for New York ... Ellsbury went 3-for-6.
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