Alex Rodriguez snapped out of a 1–for–24 slump with three hits, including his 27th home run, backing Randy Johnson and leading the Yankees over the Tigers 6–4 yesterday.

Rodriguez connected leading off the seventh inning and was called out of the dugout for a curtain call by Yankee fans, who have booed him for much of the season. Robinson Cano followed with a double and scored on a single by Bernie Williams, who had two RBIs.

Bobby Abreu hit a two-out, two-run single that broke a 1–1 tie in the fourth inning, and scored another run on a two-out hit by Rodriguez in the third.

Johnson (15–10) allowed four hits in 8.1 innings, but three of them were homers: solo shots by Magglio Ordonez and Omar Infante, and a two-run drive by Marcus Thames in the ninth. Johnson has allowed 26 homers this year.

He struck out eight and walked one.

After Thames’ homer, Mariano Rivera finished for his 33rd save in 36 chances. He gave up a double to Ordonez off the wall in right-center, then retired Carlos Guillen, pinch-hitter Sean Casey and Brandon Inge on groundouts.

Rivera had an MRI exam on his right forearm before the game. The scan showed no structural damage but full results were not yet available.

New York, which won five of seven from the Tigers this year, began the day a season-high eight games over secondplace Boston, its largest AL East lead since August 2004.

Ordonez put the Tigers in front leading off the second with his 18th home run.

The Yankees tied it in the third on a double by Abreu and a bloop RBI single by Rodriguez, who was 0-for-10 before yesterday’s game.

An inning later, the Yankees loaded the bases with two out on hits by Melky Cabrera and Johnny Damon and a walk to Derek Jeter. Abreu delivered a single, driving in Cabrera and Damon.Rodriguez opened the fifth with a double and scored on a single byWilliams for a 4–1 lead.