Yankees Rest Regulars, Keep Rolling

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A day after the Yankees clinched a playoff berth, Phil Hughes kept alive New York's slim hopes in the AL East.

The rookie right-hander allowed four hits in seven innings, and Jose Molina delivered a two-run single last night to lead the Yankees over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays 3–1.

Joba Chamberlain pitched on consecutive days for the first time, striking out B.J. Upton to escape a jam with runners at first and second in the eighth inning. The Yankees have brought the rookie along slowly, but Joba Rules have been eased during the past week, putting him in position where he can be used relatively freely in the postseason.

Chamberlain has allowed just one earned run in 23.2 innings, a 0.38 ERA, since joining the Yankees in early August and has struck out 34.

Jose Veras pitched the ninth, completing a six-hitter for his second career save.

New York, which rested Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter and four other regulars, closed within two games of first-place Boston with three games to play. The Yankees finish the regular season with a weekend series at Baltimore before opening the playoffs, likely at Cleveland.

Hughes (5–3) walked two and struck out five. He yielded Carlos Pena's 44th homer in the fourth, as well as singles to Delmon Young, Josh Wilson and Akinori Iwamura.

Tampa Bay wasted a good performance by Scott Kazmir, who allowed one run and three hits in six innings. The 23-year-old left-hander fanned 10 to pass Johan Santana for the major league strikeouts lead with 239.

Kazmir limited the Yankees to Bronson Sardinha's third-inning, infield single — the rookie's first major league hit — until another rookie, Alberto Gonzalez, lined a single to left field with one out in the sixth. Johnny Damon followed with a RBI double that made it 1–1. Damon went 10-for-15 in the series and raised his average to .269 — his highest since late May.

New York went ahead in the seventh against Jon Switzer (0-2). Shelly Duncan singled and Robinson Cano doubled before Molina's grounder through a drawn-in infield put New York ahead 3-1.

With a playoff berth already in hand, manager Joe Torre rested Rodriguez, Jeter, Jorge Posada, Bobby Abreu, Melky Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz.

Chien-Ming Wang or Andy Pettitte will start the playoff opener next week.