The Associated Press

NEW YORK - Gary Sheffield snapped a seventh-inning tie with a two-out double, and Javier Vazquez pitched the New York Yankees to a 5-2 victory Thursday for another sweep of the Baltimore Orioles.

Alex Rodriguez drove in a run and scored for the surging Yankees, who have won nine of 10 to open a season-high 2 1/2-game lead over Boston in the AL East.

Javy Lopez homered for the Orioles, but rookie manager Lee Mazzilli remained winless in six games against former boss Joe Torre. The Yankees have outscored Baltimore 59-31 this year, including a three-game sweep last week at Camden Yards.

Miguel Cairo singled leading off the seventh against John Parrish (3-2).

Derek Jeter was hit by a pitch and Sheffield hit a two-run double off B.J. Ryan for a 4-2 lead.

Vazquez (6-4) won his third straight start. Mariano Rivera got his 21st save in 22 chances and third of the series.

Jeter's streak of nine straight games with an RBI ended. It was the longest run by a Yankee since Don Mattingly also went nine games in 1987.

Devil Rays 5, Twins 2

MINNEAPOLIS - Aubrey Huff put Tampa Bay ahead with a three-run homer in the sixth inning, and the Devil Rays beat the slumping Minnesota Twins.

Held hitless for five innings by Twins starter Johan Santana (2-4), the Devil Rays rallied to win a road series for the first time since last Aug. 26-28 at Seattle.

Tampa Bay arrived at the Metrodome this week with the worst road record in the majors, now 6-18, and took three of four to end a streak of 11 straight road series lost - including all seven this year.

"We're not out of the woods, believe me, but it's better," said manager Lou Piniella.

Lew Ford hit a leadoff home run for Minnesota, which has lost 10 of its last 14 - and five of seven to last-place Tampa Bay.

Mark Hendrickson (3-5) got the victory. Danys Baez worked the ninth for his 10th save in 10 chances.

Royals 9, Tigers 6

DETROIT - Carlos Beltran had three hits and four RBI to lead the Kansas City Royals over the Detroit Tigers.

"I think May was a bad month for me, but this month will be good," Beltran said. "The last 10 games (of the slump), I had been trying to do too much, but now I'm just trying to put the ball in play and stay in the middle of the field."

Dennys Reyes (2-0) remained unbeaten in six starts this season despite giving up five runs and nine hits in 6 1/3 innings.

Reliever Nate Field got four outs,and Jeremy Affeldt finished for his fifth save in six tries.

Jeremy Bonderman (4-5) lost for the fourth time in five starts. Detroit has lost eight of 11.