Rodriguez’s homer beats Red Sox, 6-5

Alex Rodriguez came through with a tiebreaking home run in the ninth inning against the New York Yankees’ biggest rival.

Rodriguez’s solo shot on an 0-2 pitch from closer Jonathan Papelbon gave New York a come-from-behind 6-5 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night and a 2-1 edge in the series.

Papelbon (0-1) easily retired the first two batters, but Rodriguez lined the next pitch into the Red Sox bullpen in right-center, giving him 20 homers for the 12th straight season.

This season, Rodriguez is seven for 15 with four home runs and 11 RBIs in the ninth inning.

The Yankees’ comeback from a 5-4 deficit kept them out of last place in the AL East and left them 12 1/2 games behind the first-place Red Sox.

Brian Bruney (2-1) got the win and Mariano Rivera earned his fifth save -- only his second since May 3. David Ortiz opened the ninth with a drive to deep right that was caught on the warning track. He has not homered in 19 games and 69 at-bats, his longest drought in five seasons with the Red Sox.

Boston starter Josh Beckett, trying to improve to 9-0, gave up four runs and eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Yankees starter Andy Pettitte left in the fifth inning, three pitches after grimacing as he threw an 89-mph fastball. There was no word on whether he was injured.