Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Derek Jeter punctuated a five-run fifth inning with a two-run double and the Yankees received a quality performance from emergency starter Dustin Moseley, as New York beat the Boston Red Sox, 7-2, in the third installment of a four-game set.
Jeter also singled home a run in the second to surpass fellow Yankee legend Babe Ruth and claim sole possession of 39th place on baseball's all-time hits list.
"It means a lot to this organization. Obviously, Babe Ruth means a lot to baseball," Jeter said. "Any time you get a chance to pass him at anything it's special."
Lance Berkman had three hits, scored twice and knocked in a run for AL East- leading New York, which moved 2 1/2 games ahead of Tampa Bay in the division standings after the Rays were nearly no-hit by Toronto's Brandon Morrow on Sunday.
Moseley (2-1) took the hill in place of scheduled starter A.J. Burnett and allowed two runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings. Burnett was scratched due to back spasms.
While Burnett was out of the New York lineup, third baseman Alex Rodriguez returned after missing Saturday's game with a lower left leg contusion that he sustained when struck by a batting-practice line drive from Berkman.
Bill Hall homered for the Red Sox, who are seven games behind their bitter rivals from the Bronx. Josh Beckett (3-2) was tagged for seven runs and a season-high 11 hits in just 4 2/3 innings.
"They're certainly not afraid to work the count or hit deep in the count," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of the Yankee batters. "That's what they do well when they're on their game. Regardless of what the count is, when you leave the ball over the middle they hurt you."
The Yankees jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the second. With two outs and a runner on second, Brett Gardner hit a grounder up the middle. Hall ranged to his left, diving to keep the ball from reaching the outfield, and made an off- balance throw to first base that eluded Victor Martinez. Gardner was awarded a single on the play and the error allowed Berkman -- aboard via a one-out double -- to score the game's first run.
Gardner then stole second and came home on Jeter's base hit.
Moseley worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth, but Hall greeted the right-hander by homering to begin the next inning, cutting Boston's deficit in half.
New York, though, countered with five runs in the home half of the fifth. Mark Teixeira led off by crushing a 2-1 pitch to deep right field for his team- leading 25th home run of the season. Rodriguez walked and Robinson Cano was hit by a pitch. One out later, Berkman slapped an RBI double down the left- field line.
With the bases loaded following a walk to Curtis Granderson, Boston catcher Kevin Cash tried unsuccessfully to pick off Cano on a third strike to Gardner and his errant throw allowed Cano to score. Jeter then doubled to right field to make it a 7-1 game.
An infield single by pinch-hitter Mike Lowell closed the gap to five runs in the seventh. The Red Sox loaded the bases later in the inning, but Boone Logan got David Ortiz on a grounder to second to end the frame.
Game Notes
Rodriguez stole his 300th career base in the sixth inning. He becomes the third player all time with at least 600 home runs and 300 stolen bases, joining Willie Mays (660-338) and Barry Bonds (762-514)...Jeter now has 2,875 career hits, two more than Ruth and one shy of Mel Ott...Beckett has an 11.17 ERA in four starts against the Yankees this season...New York improved to 37-19 at home and 7-4 versus Boston in 2010...Teixeira has homered in five of his last eight games...Teixeira has hit at least 25 home runs in each of his first eight major league seasons, becoming just the fourth player in baseball history to accomplish the feat. He joins Eddie Mathews (11 seasons), Albert Pujols (10) and Darryl Strawberry (nine)...Boston third baseman Adrian Beltre went 1-for-3 to extend his season-high hitting streak to 14 games...Burnett is scheduled to make his next start on Tuesday in Texas.