ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., Sept. 5 (UPI) -- Ichiro Suzuki and Steve Pearce scored the decisive runs on a seventh-inning throwing error Wednesday, giving the New York Yankees a 6-4 win over Tampa Bay.
New York ended a three-game losing streak and moved in front by a game over Baltimore in the American League East.
The teams battled to a 4-4 tie through six innings before the Yankees came up with two unearned runs on a defensive miscue.
Andruw Jones singled to open the seventh off Matt Moore (10-9) and Suzuki came in to run for him. Pearce singled Suzuki to second and the runners moved up on a sacrifice bunt from Jayson Nix.
With the infield playing in, Derek Jeter hit a hot grounder directly to second baseman Elliot Johnson. Suzuki broke for the plate immediately and Johnson fired home. His throw, however, sailed past the glove of catcher Chris Gimenez all the way to the backstop.
Suzuki scored and Pearce never slowed down, easily coming in as well before Gimenez could recover the ball.
Hiroki Kuroda (13-10) got the win by giving up four runs on eight hits in six innings. Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth for his 36th save.
Tampa Bay fell to 2 1/2 games behind the Yankees after having a four-game winning streak snapped.
