Yankees Get Big Lift With Return of Wright

Nearly four months after thinking his career might be over, Jaret Wright is back, and pitching well for the New York Yankees.

Wright won his first start since going on the disabled list because of shoulder pain, and Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield homered Monday night, helping the Yankees beat the host Tampa Bay Devil Rays, 5-2, for their fifth consecutive victory.

Rodriguez homered for the third game in a row, hitting a two-run, fourth-inning shot against Casey Fossum (6-9) to boost his American League-leading total to 36.

Sheffield hit No. 25, against Travis Harper, for a 5-2 lead in the seventh.

But Wright (3-2) was the story for the Yankees, whose starting rotation has been in shambles because of injuries.

“He’s one of the guys we counted on when spring training started,” Manager Joe Torre said. “He has basically had a long, boring road back because there wasn’t a whole lot for him to do other than rest it and rehab it.

“Right now, he’s tickled pink.”

*

Detroit 7, Boston 6 -- Pinch-hitter John McDonald’s two-out single in the ninth capped a comeback against Curt Schilling, lifting the Tigers at home.

Schilling (4-5) entered the game with a two-run lead with two outs in the eighth inning and struck out Curtis Granderson to end the inning. In the ninth, Schilling gave up three runs, four hits and a walk.

Schilling, moved from starter to closer when he returned from an ankle injury, had converted nine saves in 10 opportunities, but had given up four runs and four hits, including three homers, in his last two appearances.

The Tigers won their third consecutive game and ended the AL East-leading Red Sox’s six-game winning streak.

*

Minnesota 4, Chicago 2 -- Lew Ford and Brent Abernathy hit two-run singles in the fourth inning in Chicago and Nick Punto had three hits and three stolen bases for the Twins.

Kyle Lohse (8-11) hung around long enough to earn his first victory since July 2, giving up two runs and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings.

The White Sox, with the best record in the majors, are looking to take the AL Central title from the Twins, who have won the division the last three seasons.

*

Seattle 11, Kansas City 3 -- The Royals lost their club-record 16th consecutive game, managing only three hits and one run in eight innings against 19-year-old rookie Felix Hernandez at Seattle.

The Royals, winless since July 27 when they beat the White Sox, 6-5, in 13 innings, have the longest losing streak in the major leagues since the Chicago Cubs lost 16 in a row in 1996-97.

The Cubs lost the last two games of the 1996 season and the first 14 in 1997.