Yankees keep Tampa Bay from rallying

Paul Quantrill and Mariano Rivera made sure the New York Yankees held off Tampa Bay for the second straight night.

Quantrill relieved Javier Vazquez (10-5) with a two-ball count and the bases loaded in the sixth inning and escaped the jam, and the Yankees beat the Devil Rays 5-4 Friday in New York.

Rivera gave up a run in the ninth, then retired Rocco Baldelli on a foul pop-up with the bases loaded to end it.

Jorge Posada hit a go-ahead, two-run single for the Yankees, who have won two straight against the Devil Rays after losing five of six to the New York Mets and Detroit.

Tampa Bay, which has lost seven of 10 to the Yankees, dropped to 4-6 in July after going 20-6 in June.

Jesus Colome (2-2) allowed one run in two-thirds of an inning.

INDIANS 5, ATHLETICS 4: At Cleveland, pinch-hitter Lou Merloni's two-run single capped Cleveland's three-run ninth inning off Octavio Dotel.

Merloni ripped the first pitch from Dotel (1-1) down the left-field line with the bases loaded to score Omar Vizquel and Travis Hafner before being mobbed by his teammates.

The Indians have beaten the A's four straight times at home this season — all in their final at-bat. Cleveland had been 0-30 in games in which it trailed going into the ninth before the comeback.

Cleveland's latest dramatic win over Oakland gave reliever Bobby Howry (1-0), who pitched the ninth, his first win since Aug. 21, 2002, for the Chicago White Sox.

Eric Chavez was back in Oakland's lineup after missing more than five weeks with a broken right hand. The third baseman went 2-for-3 with an RBI, walked twice, scored a run and made a dazzling defensive play in the eighth inning.

ANGELS 5, BLUE JAYS 4: At Toronto, Bartolo Colon pitched seven strong innings for his second win in his last 11 starts, and Vladimir Guerrero drove in three runs.

Colon (6-8) entered with the highest ERA among AL starters at 6.57. The 31-year-old right-hander, who signed a four-year, $51 million contract during the offseason, allowed four runs — three earned — on five hits and lowered his ERA to 6.38.

Francisco Rodriguez pitched a perfect eighth, and Troy Percival worked the ninth for his 14th save in 18 chances.