NEW YORK (AP) -Alex Rodriguez became the first player with 35 homers and 100 RBIs in 12 seasons - one more than Babe Ruth - and the New York Yankees slowed the Chicago White Sox's pursuit of the AL Central crown with a 5-1 victory Wednesday night.
Johnny Damon hit a two-run homer, Robinson Cano had three hits and Xavier Nady had a tying RBI single in the seventh inning.
Jermaine Dye had an RBI groundout off Phil Hughes, who was making his first start since April 29. That was all the White Sox could muster against Hughes and four relievers, who threw five shutout innings. The White Sox entered the night with a 2 1/2 game lead over Minnesota.
Hughes' return to the mound was cut short after just four innings. The 22-year-old right-hander gave up a run and four hits. Brian Bruney (3-0) came on with a runner on second in the seventh and got three straight outs. Joba Chamberlain worked the eighth before Edwar Ramirez got the final three outs.
Clayton Richard (2-5) allowed two runs and five hits in 6 2-3 innings for Chicago.
Rays 10, Red Sox 3
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) - Willy Aybar, Gabe Gross and Fernando Perez homered off Tim Wakefield and AL East-leading Tampa Bay beat Boston to move closer to its first playoff berth.
Matt Garza gave up two long home runs to David Ortiz, but the Rays otherwise held the Red Sox in check to extend their division lead over them to two games.
Tampa Bay can clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth by beating Minnesota twice during a four-game series that begins Thursday at Tropicana Field.
Aybar, who was 3-for-5 with three RBIs, hit a two-run homer off Wakefield (9-11) in the first inning. Aybar drove in the last of the six runs charged to the knuckleballer with a third-inning single off Devern Hansack.
Grant Balfour (5-2) pitched two scoreless innings for the win.
Indians 6, Twins 4
CLEVELAND (AP) - Cliff Lee was denied his 23rd win and finished with a no-decision against Minnesota - the only AL team to beat him - and the Indians completed a three-game sweep of the Twins, another gnawing loss for the Central's second-place team.
