By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com NEW YORK -- Dan Johnson flipped his bat down the baseline, watching his second home run of the night fly over the fence at Tropicana Field to vault the Rays back into first place in the American League East. On a night when the Yankees enjoyed a return to form from starter Phil Hughes, the right-hander's two biggest mistakes burned them. The Yankees suffered a 4-3 defeat on Wednesday, slipping a half-game behind Tampa Bay as the division race enters the home stretch. Johnson's seventh-inning two-run homer cleared the right-field wall and followed an earlier two-run shot in the fifth inning, just the designated hitter's fourth and fifth round-trippers of the season. The decisive shot came after Curtis Granderson had launched a two-run home run of his own in the seventh, giving the Yankees a short-lived 3-2 lead in the finale of a series that featured three tight contests between the rivals. Granderson's homer landed in the first row of the right-field seats after Rays manager Joe Maddon was ejected arguing a hit-by-pitch of Derek Jeter, who had squared to bunt before it was ruled Chad Qualls hit him near the left elbow. Maddon contended that Jeter's bat had hit the ball, a lengthy argument that eventually earned him the thumb from home-plate umpire Lance Barksdale, but ultimately ended with Jeter remaining aboard to watch Granderson's home run sneak over the wall. Hughes seemed to be back in All-Star mode early, retiring the first 12 Rays to face him before Evan Longoria notched a single to open the fifth inning. But the Johnson homers dented his line most, as Hughes exited after 6 2/3 innings, allowing four runs on six hits. Though he did not figure into the decision, Tampa Bay's James Shields proved to be a tough customer once again for the Yankees. A first-inning run was all the Yankees were able to touch the right-hander for over 6 1/3 strong innings. In the first inning, Jeter led off with a single up the middle and stole second base. Mark Teixeira legged out an infield hit to move Jeter to third base and Robinson Cano cashed the run with a single to left field, Cano's career-high 99th RBI of the year.
