Gardner dashes home in 10th, Yankees beat Red Sox 6-5 to extend lead in AL East

Yankees edge Red Sox in 10, extend AL East lead

BOSTON — Brett Gardner raced home on an error by second baseman Bill Hall in the 10th inning and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 6-5 Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader to open a one-game lead in the AL East.

The Yankees and second-place Tampa Bay Rays already have clinched postseason berths but are fighting for the division title and possible home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs. The Rays played at Kansas City on Saturday night.

Phil Hughes (18-8) struck out two batters in a perfect ninth in his second relief outing of the year, keeping the score tied at 5.

Jonathan Papelbon (5-7) started the 10th by walking Gardner, who went to second on a sacrifice by Ramiro Pena. Derek Jeter then topped a slow grounder to the right side, just beyond Papelbon’s reach, for an infield single. Hall tried to field it with his bare hand, but it got by him and Gardner scored the go-ahead run.

Mariano Rivera pitched the 10th for his 33rd save in 38 opportunities, ending a game that took 4 hours, 18 minutes.

Despite the victory, the Yankees have concerns about their starting pitching. Andy Pettitte, in his third outing since spending two months on the disabled list with a strained left groin, allowed three runs on nine hits in four innings. He also struggled against Boston in his previous start.

A.J. Burnett, scheduled to start the nightcap, was 1-7 with a 6.98 ERA in his previous 11 starts.

The split doubleheader was scheduled after Friday night’s game was postponed by rain following a delay of 3 hours, 23 minutes. The nightcap Saturday was slated to begin — with a new crowd in the seats at Fenway Park — about 30 minutes after the opener ended.

Boston took a 2-0 lead in the first on a single by Victor Martinez, a walk to David Ortiz and a double by Mike Lowell that sailed just over the head of right fielder Nick Swisher.

New York went ahead against knuckleballer Tim Wakefield with three runs in the third. Jeter walked and scored on a triple by Curtis Granderson, who came around on a groundout by Alex Rodriguez. Robinson Cano followed with a solo homer, his 29th of the year.

The Red Sox tied it at 3 in the third when Lowell walked, went to third on a single by Hall and scored on a single by Daniel Nava.

The Yankees went ahead 5-3 in the fifth on a walk to Granderson and run-scoring doubles by Mark Teixeira and Cano.

But Boston scored two runs on wild pitches, tying the game. In the seventh, Lars Anderson walked, took third on a single by Hall and scored on a wild pitch by Joba Chamberlain. In the eighth, Kerry Wood walked three straight batters, then threw a wild pitch that scored Eric Patterson.

Josh Reddick also tried to score when catcher Jorge Posada threw wildly past Wood at the plate, but third baseman Ramiro Pena made a terrific play to retrieve the ball and cut down Reddick on a close play at home.

New York wasted a chance to break the game open in the eighth after loading the bases on walks to Gardner, Granderson and Teixeira. Robert Coello replaced Dustin Richardson and retired Rodriguez on a fly to right.

Notes: Lowell had a single, double and walk in three plate appearances. Before the game, the Red Sox honored him in a 20-minute ceremony called “Thank You, Mike.” Lowell, a third baseman most of his career who primarily played first this year, is retiring after his 13th season ends Sunday. … The 44-year-old Wakefield wrapped up his 15th, and possibly last, season. He’s due to make $2 million on a one-year contract next season but has struggled for most of this year.