Yankees Put the Hurt on Red Sox

Even without Derek Jeter, the New York Yankees slugged their way to a satisfying blowout against Boston.

Jason Giambi and Andy Phillips each hit three-run homers in a seven-run second inning Monday night, and the Yankees battered old nemesis Josh Beckett in a 13-5 rout of the Red Sox at New York.

Melky Cabrera and Robinson Cano had two-run doubles in the third, making it easy for ace Mike Mussina (8-1) in the opener of a four-game series. The Yankees batted around in the second and third innings. Jeter sat out because of a bruised right thumb after he was hit by a pitch Sunday in Baltimore.

New York finished with 11 hits, its 12th consecutive game with at least 10. That broke the franchise record of 11 straight games set in May 1937.

The teams have split eight meetings this season; the Yankees have won three in a row and jumped over the Red Sox into first place in the American League East by half a game.

The anticipated pitching duel between Mussina and Beckett (7-3) never materialized, the Boston right-hander was gone by the second inning after giving up eight runs -- seven earned -- and seven hits in 1 1/3 innings.

Staked to a 13-2 cushion after three innings, Mussina improved to 7-0 in 10 starts since his only loss on April 14 at Minnesota.

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Baltimore 4, Toronto 0 -- Daniel Cabrera (3-2) gave up three hits and struck out nine in five innings and Kevin Millar homered for the Orioles at Baltimore.

Baltimore’s Corey Patterson scored two runs and extended his streak of games with a stolen base to nine, the longest run in the majors since Rickey Henderson had an identical stretch in 1986.

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Seattle 4, Kansas City 1 -- Gil Meche gave up one run and four hits in seven innings and Raul Ibanez hit a two-run single, lifting the Mariners at Seattle.