Yankees 7, Angels 2 YEAH!!! theeeeeeee Yankees Win!!!!

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http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/northern_california/15276770.htm?template=contentModules/printstory.jsp

MIKE FITZPATRICK
Associated Press
NEW YORK - Moments after reaching yet another milestone, Randy Johnson waved to his family behind home plate and hugged catcher Jorge Posada.
Then the big lefty went right back to work.
After all, with the New York Yankees grinding their way through a tight pennant race, Johnson is more concerned about winning games than chasing records.
The Big Unit pitched seven strong innings Monday night and surpassed 4,500 strikeouts, and Alex Rodriguez hit a tiebreaking sacrifice fly that sent New York to a 7-2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
"Things like this have happened before and I try not to get too caught up in it," Johnson said. "It means I've been around a long time and I've struck out a lot of batters. That's probably why my arm's pretty tired."
Derek Jeter hit an early two-run homer and Posada added a solo shot, helping the Yankees gain a four-game split against a longtime nemesis. They also extended their AL East lead to two games over Boston.
The 42-year-old Johnson outpitched John Lackey for his 276th win and became only the third major leaguer to reach 4,500 strikeouts, joining Nolan Ryan (5,714) and Roger Clemens (4,552).
"I thought his slider was outstanding," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He looks like he's got a little spring in his step. We just want to hold onto it as long as possible."
In other AL games, it was: Detroit 7, Boston 4; Chicago 12, Kansas City 2; and Oakland 5, Seattle 4.
After taking a no-hit bid into the seventh during his previous start against the White Sox, Johnson (13-9) held the Angels scoreless for six innings.
But Chone Figgins hit an RBI single with two outs in the seventh and, running on the pitch, scored from first base on Howie Kendrick's double that tied it at 2.
"We got a good rally off a tough pitcher. We just couldn't get the lead," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said. "If we'd gotten our offense going a little earlier, we might have given John a little more room to work with."
The Yankees pushed across the go-ahead run in the bottom half with two bunts and a sac fly.
Johnny Damon got it going with a bloop single, Jeter followed with a perfectly placed bunt single and No. 3 batter Bobby Abreu squared around for his first sacrifice bunt since July 1998, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
"He's capable of doing everything," Posada said. "Even the third hitter's got to be able to get it down. That's the way we're going to go after it from now on. Everything counts."
Jason Giambi was intentionally walked to load the bases for Rodriguez. Booed at home much of the season for failing to come through in clutch situations, the two-time MVP lofted a 1-2 pitch deep into the right-field corner.
Vladimir Guerrero caught the ball with his back to the wall, but Damon scored easily and A-Rod received hearty congratulations in the dugout.
"A nice way to manufacture a run," Rodriguez said. "That was a great game out there. Lackey's a handful."
Posada homered on Brendan Donnelly's first pitch in the eighth - his third hit after beginning the night in a career-worst 0-for-25 slump.
Abreu added an RBI infield single against J.C. Romero, Giambi delivered a sacrifice fly and Rodriguez drove in another run with a bad-hop single, making it 7-2.
Kyle Farnsworth worked a perfect eighth to preserve a one-run lead, and Mariano Rivera closed it out.
Lackey (10-9) lost his third consecutive start, allowing three runs and 11 hits in seven innings.
"It would be nice if we could get out to a lead and hang onto one," he said. "I was able to minimize the damage, give our team a chance to win. If you're going to be a playoff team, you've got to figure out ways to win games like that."
Johnson scattered eight hits, walked one and struck out five. He fanned Tim Salmon in the fourth for No. 4,500.
"He really pitches now. He kind of reminds me of Clemens when he started throwing that splitty," Salmon said.
Posada tossed the ball into the dugout to be kept as a souvenir, and the crowd chanted "Randy! Randy!" But Johnson waited until after the inning to acknowledge the fans, raising his glove and pointing toward his family behind home plate.
Tigers 7, Red Sox 4
At Boston, Nate Robertson (11-8) outpitched Josh Beckett (13-7), and first-place Detroit stopped its season-worst losing streak at five to maintain its 5 1/2-game lead over Chicago in the AL Central. Todd Jones earned his 32nd save in 35 tries.
White Sox 12, Royals 2
At Chicago, Jim Thome's 36th homer capped an eight-run fourth and led the White Sox to their fifth straight victory.
Coming off a sweep of Detroit, the defending World Series champions have won 12 of 17 overall. Jon Garland (13-4) allowed one run in seven innings, improving to 9-1 in his last 10 decisions.
Athletics 5, Mariners 4
At Oakland, Calif., Nick Swisher hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth and the A's beat Seattle for the 13th straight time.
Mark Ellis and Frank Thomas also homered for the first-place A's, who lost the first meeting of the year but have won the last 13 in the season series - the Mariners' second-longest skid to any team in franchise history.
Rafael Soriano (1-2) blew his fourth save chance when he allowed Swisher's shot to right.
Joe Kennedy (3-0), activated from the disabled list earlier in the day, pitched for the first time since May 9 and got one out for the victory. Justin Duchscherer pitched the ninth for his third save.
 
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