GAME THREAD: AL: NY YANKEES (44-44) at TAMPA BAY (35-55)

Yankees rally and hold on for win over Devil Rays

<h3>NY YANKEES 7, TAMPA BAY 6</h3>ST. PETERSBURG, Florida (Ticker) -- Andy Phillips came up witha big hit and a sparkling defensive play to lead the New YorkYankees to victory.


Phillips had and RBI single in the eighth inning and made adiving grab in the bottom of the frame to spark the Yankees to a7-6 victory over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays on Sunday.

"I feel good about the personality of this team," New Yorkmanager Joe Torre said. "They showed me a lot, they feel goodabout themselves. We just keep hitting and grinding. It's allabout the little things. This is very satisfying but we have alot of work ahead of us."


Phillips gave New York a 6-5 lead with an RBI single to leftfield off of Gary Glover. Derek Jeter followed with arun-scoring single to extend the lead to 7-5.


The Devil Rays closed to 7-6 in the bottom of the eighth butPhillips kept them from getting any closer. The Yankees' firstbaseman made a diving catch with one out and then threw tosecond to double up pinch runner Josh Wilson.


Mariano Rivera pitched out of trouble in the ninth for his 426thcareer save.


"I like the fact that he was available with a one-run lead,"said Torre. "You trust him so much. He about bit my head offwhen I came out in the last inning and I said 'You sure you wantto go after this guy (Carlos Pena)?' and he said, 'Let's go,'and that was the end of the conversation."


Luis Vizcaino (5-2) retired the only batter he faced to end theseventh and pick up the win. Kyle Farnsworth pitched theeighth, allowing a run and two hits and Rivera the ninth for his13th save of the season.


"I got a lot of breaks," said New York starter Mike Mussina, wholeft after six innings with a chance to win the game. "Irealized early on that it was going to be a fight. There weresome great plays behind me like Phillips taking on their fastguy (Carl Crawford) one-on-one at the goal line. I didn't havegood command of the ball today."


Casey Fossum (5-8) allowed a run and a hit in 2/3 of an inningto take the loss.


Jeter went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Yankees (45-44), whotook 3-of-4 from the Devil Rays and pulled within nine games ofthe Boston Red Sox in the American League East Divisionstandings.


The Yankees trailed 3-0 in the fifth before scoring four runs.Jeter hit a two-run homer off of Tampa Bay starter Edwin Jacksonto cap the frame.


"I thought Jackson was pitching really well again," said Raysmanager Joe Maddon. "It's unfortunate that things didn't end upbetter. That was a tough inning."


Phillips had an RBI triple in the fifth that center fielder B.J.Upton misplayed. It appeared that Upton would catch the linerby Phillips but he overran the ball, which rolled all the way tothe wall.


Robinson Cano scored on the play and it appeared to affectJackson, who allowed an RBI double to Wil Nieves and Jeter'shomer later in the frame.


"I'm not disappointed the way it turned out for me but I'mdisappointed that we lost," Jackson said. "I feel (the Jeterhome run) was my only mistake."