Sat Jul 5 19:26:15 2008

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Yankees hang on to upend Boston behind Mussina's strong outing

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Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Mike Mussina hurled six scoreless innings, and New York survived a late scare to clip Boston, 2-1, in the third installment of a four-game series from Yankee Stadium.

Mussina (11-6) allowed four hits in his outing, striking out five and walking one to record his first win since June 14. In addition, it was the veteran right-hander's first positive decision over the Red Sox since June 5, 2006.

Mariano Rivera allowed two hits and a run in the ninth but held on to record his 23rd save.

Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner had an RBI each for the Yankees, who won for the second time in their last six. Gardner got the nod in left field for starter Johnny Damon, who was not in the lineup after suffering a freak shoulder injury while chasing down an eventual triple by Boston's Kevin Youkilis in the visitors' 6-4 win Friday.

Justin Masterson (4-3) took the loss, his third in the last five starts. He surrendered six hits and two runs over six full frames and also hit three batters.

Mike Lowell drove in a run while Manny Ramirez was hit by a pitch three times for the Red Sox, who have dropped four of six.

Rivera had a tough go in Boston's final at-bat, allowing a leadoff single to J.D. Drew. Ramirez was plunked and gave way to pinch-runner Brandon Moss, and Lowell's base hit brought in Drew to cut Boston's deficit to 2-1.

The formidable veteran closer once again lost control and hit Kevin Youkilis to load the bases, but rebounded nicely, fanning Coco Crisp and getting Jason Varitek on a weak foul out.

Rivera bore down once more and Julio Lugo swung through a fastball to preserve the victory.

The Yanks picked up the game's first run in the early going. With one away in the second, Jason Giambi walked, moved to second on a two-out single by Robinson Cano, then scored on Cabrera's single to right.

Masterson prevented trouble in the third, working out of a bases loaded jam by fanning Giambi and inducing Wilson Betemit into an inning-ending groundout to second.

In the sixth, New York loaded the bases on singles by Betemit and Cabrera followed by Jose Molina's plunking. Gardner lifted a sacrifice fly to left to make it 2-0, and Masterson ended his outing by getting Derek Jeter on a fielder's choice.

Mussina completed his day by pitching a scoreless sixth, then Jose Veras set down the Sox in order in the seventh. Kyle Farnsworth hurled a perfect eighth, setting the stage for a tense final frame.

Game Notes

Despite the setback, Boston has won five of the eight meetings with New York this season...Cano played in his 500th career game...There were seven combined hit batsmen (four on Boston, three on New York), which tied a major-league record.