Rays push Yankees a little further back

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Scott Kazmir did his part to get the Tampa Bay Rays back on track and deal the New York Yankees’ slim playoff hopes another blow Thursday.

The left-hander gave up one hit in six scoreless innings of the Rays’ 7-5 victory, as New York fell 11 games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East and 7 1/2 behind Boston in the wild-card race.

“It’s good to keep them in our rear-view mirror because they’ve played well against us,” Rays Manager Joe Maddon said. “To lose three in a row here would not have been any fun at all.”

Kazmir (11-6) limited the Yankees to Cody Ransom’s fifth-inning double, walked five and struck out seven, but a high pitch count (98) prevented him from going deeper into the game.

Alex Rodriguez homered for the third consecutive night, giving him 32 this season and 550 in his career. After Wednesday’s homer was upheld by replay, there was never a doubt about the 436-footer that struck one of the catwalks that support the roof at Tropicana Field.

“I think it might have been the farthest one I’ve seen here. I truly do,” Maddon said. “That was zero gravity right there.”