Yankees Sweep Mariners Heading into Off Day

Darrell Rasner got what any pitcher dreams of while making his first Major League start of the season. Rasner, whom the Yankees called up from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to pitch in place of injured righty Phil Hughes on Sunday, received eight runs of support. The feast included six runs when the Yankees batted around in the third inning en route to an 8-2 win over the Mariners before 53,542 at Yankee Stadium that sealed a three-game sweep and moved New York to one game above the .500 mark. Rasner, who was 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA at Triple-A, did just as Yankees manager Joe Girardi had hoped he would. The right-hander gave up two runs on a single and two-run homer, hit by Adrian Beltre, in the first inning, then settled down and let his defense and the Yankees' suddenly potent offense do their job. Rasner gave up five hits in six innings, didn't walk a batter and struck out five on a pleasant, sunny afternoon in the Bronx. Seattle starter Carlos Silva, who took the mound with a 3-0 record and a 2.79 ERA, was rocked for eight runs on 11 hits, including back-to-back homers in the third, in four-plus innings. Johnny Damon, who sparked the Yankees with three hits, three runs scored and two RBIs on Saturday, led off the third with a single to left. Derek Jeter, who also had a big day at the plate, singled. Bobby Abreu singled home the first run, and Hideki Matsui extended his hitting streak to 17 games with a run-scoring ground-rule double to right field. Jason Giambi scored the third run with a sacrifice fly. The Yankees then went to their power. Melky Cabrera slammed a two-run homer, and slumping second baseman Robinson Cano homered. It was the first time the Yankees had scored five runs or more in an inning this season. Damon and Jeter singled and doubled, respectively, and both scored in the fourth. The Yankees will enjoy a rare off-day on Monday, while the Mariners will try to figure out how to end their season-high five-game losing streak.