ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Alex Rodriguez’s bat has been invaded by termites.
Lance Berkman ended a long, emotional first day with the Yankees wanting to do better.
And Robinson Cano continued to chug toward an AL MVP award.
With first place in the AL East in play and an October feeling at Tropicana Field, Cano gave the Yankees a 5-4 win over the Rays with a laser-like home run in the ninth inning off Tampa Bay closer Rafael Soriano.
“I have said it a million times, Robinson Cano is the most talented player I have ever played with,” said Mark Teixeira, who hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning to tie the score, 3-3.
The victory increased the Yankees’ lead over the second-place Rays to two games and was the second straight game in front of an excited sell-out crowd of 36,973.
“It was huge win for us, we feel like we stole one tonight,” said Rodriguez, whose quest for home run No. 600 will continue today after he went 0-for-3 with a walk. “They were in control.”
Javier Vazquez gave up solo runs in the first, third and fifth. The Yankees scored one in the second when Cano (3-for-4) doubled to left-center off Matt Garza.
Teixeira’s 21st homer, which came close to reaching the back wall in right field, tied the score, 3-3 in the top of the sixth. Matt Joyce responded in the bottom of the inning with his second homer in as many nights and fifth of the season to put the hosts back on top, 4-3. Nick Swisher, who was dropped from second to sixth in the lineup to make room for Berkman, tied it with a towering homer to right leading off the seventh.
Soriano retired Rodriguez on a pop to short left field to start the ninth, but two pitches later Cano wowed everybody in the building.
“I wasn’t looking for a homer,” Cano said of his 21st round-tripper. “Just get on base.”
Handed the slimmest of leads after Boone Logan and David Robertson (2-3) provided 1 2/3 perfect relief innings, Mariano Rivera recorded the final three outs for his 22nd save and allowed the Yankees to exhale.
Berkman went 0-for-4 and didn’t hit a ball hard in his Yankees’ debut after his trade from the Astros became official yesterday.
“I will do whatever I can,” said Berkman. “I am not looking to set the world on fire, but I would like to be better.”
Rodriguez has watched Cano develop into an elite hitter and has predicted an MVP is in the second baseman’s future. When Cano hits like he did last night, Rodriguez said that feeling is reinforced in his mind.
“He has the taste, the look and the feel of an MVP,” Rodriguez said. “Huge hit against the closer on the road. It doesn’t get any bigger than that.”
The people filling the ballpark are seeing plenty of scintillating baseball from the two best teams in the game. Friday night, the Rays won, 3-2. Last night, it was the Yankees’ turn. Today? Who knows?
“The atmosphere has been tremendous,” Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. “These are two really good teams playing.”
The difference last night? Cano was playing better than everyone else as he continues his MVP-type season.