Yankees 8, Angels 7
NEW YORK -- Designated hitter Alex Rodriguez moved within nine of 3,000 hits by collecting four Friday as the New York Yankees held on for an 8-7 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
After trailing 8-1, the visitors scored six runs in the top of the ninth before the Yankees finally closed it out.
Rodriguez had his first four-hit game since May 22, 2011 against the New York Mets by getting three singles and a double. His second hit was a run-scoring single in the fifth inning that also was his 1,997th RBI which, according to statistics kept by the Elias Sports Bureau, broke a tie with Barry Bonds for second place on the all-time list.
Second baseman Stephen Drew recorded his third career multi-home run game with a two-run homer in the second and a solo shot in the sixth off Angels' right-hander Jered Weaver (4-5). First baseman Mark Teixeira also hit a two-run home run as the Yankees won their fourth straight and improved to 8-3 in their last 11 games after dropping 10 of their previous 11.
A sacrifice fly by shortstop Didi Gregorius in the sixth and an RBI single by pinch hitter Chris Young in the seventh accounted for the other New York runs.
New York right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (5-1) allowed one run and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. He departed after loading the bases on three walks.
Chasen Shreve allowed a run-scoring ground out to left fielder Kirk Nieuwenhuis, but escaped his own bases-loaded jam by fanning shortstop Erick Aybar after barely avoiding him on the knee.
The Angels scored six times in the ninth in the ninth against Esmil Rogers and Dellin Betances.
Grant Green, who entered the game for center fielder Mike Trout, had an RBI single on a pop-up that dropped between first baseman Chase Headley and second baseman Jose Pirela. That preceded a bases-loaded RBI single by right fielder Kole Calhoun that forced the Yankees to insert Betances.
Betances then allowed a two-run single to third baseman David Freese and issued a base-loaded walk to catcher Chris Iannetta. Betances finally got an out by striking out Nieuwenhuis but allowed the Angels to get within a run on an RBI groundout by shortstop Taylor Featherston.
Betances finally got out of it by striking out pinch hitter Carlos Perez and was credited with his second save.
The comeback attempt came after Weaver allowed a season-high seven runs and nine hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The Yankees took a 2-0 lead with two outs in the second when Drew drove a 2-2 curveball into the right field seats for his sixth home run. An inning later, New York extended it to 4-0 when Teixeira sent a 0-1 curveball into a similar location as Drew's home run for his 17th home run.
The Yankees extended their lead to 5-0 on a two-out single by Rodriguez in the fifth.
Those hits came after Eovaldi got out of a jam in the second following an error by shortstop Didi Gregorius. Eovaldi picked Nieuwenhuis off first and on the next pitch struck out second baseman Johnny Giavotella.
NOTES: The Yankees announced that RHP Michael Pineda's next start will be pushed back from Sunday to next Friday in Baltimore as an effort to limit his innings. ... New York CF Jacoby Ellsbury (sprained right knee) has begun some light running and taking dry swings in the cage but both manager Joe Girardi and GM Brian Cashman said they don't know when he will return. ... New York DH Carlos Beltran was held out of the starting lineup as a precaution after fouling a ball of his foot Tuesday in Seattle. ... The Angels made two switches to their starting rotation as RHP Matt Shoemaker will now start Tuesday in Tampa Bay, and LHP Hector Santiago will pitch next Friday against Oakland. Both will be pitching on eight days' rest. ... Before the game, Los Angeles RHP Mike Morin (left oblique strain) played catch while OF Collin Cowgill (sprained right wrist) took some swings.