NEW YORK — Mariano Rivera was on the ropes, and the Boston Red Sox were poised to earn a memorable comeback victory.

That's when the New York Yankees closer found his classic form again.

Rivera pitched himself in and out of trouble yesterday, escaping a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the ninth inning and preserving a 2-1 victory.

"You can't have doubts," Rivera said. "You have to make pitches. If you have doubts, a lot of things can happen."

After Mike Mussina pitched six shutout innings, Rivera took over in the ninth with a 2-0 lead. The Red Sox quickly scored a run on Mike Lowell's RBI single and were poised to get more, but Rivera struck out Coco Crisp, got Jason Varitek on a popup and fanned Julio Lugo for his 23rd save.

"We gave ourselves a great chance with really good at-bats in the ninth and then Mariano went to work and really carved us up for three batters," Boston manager Terry Francona said. "He gave himself no wiggle room and he didn't need it."

The Red Sox were on the brink of capturing the first three of the four-game series and fourth in a row in the season series when Rivera escaped.

"It was a big game for us," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Melky Cabrera and Brett Gardner, two of New York's three healthy outfielders, each drove in a run and made a nice play in the field. Cabrera had an RBI single in the second and Gardner's sacrifice fly made it 2-0 in the sixth.

Justin Masterson (4-3) hit three batters, threw a wild pitch and walked two, but managed to hold the Yankees in check in his six innings. The rookie right-hander allowed six hits in his first appearance against New York.

Mussina (11-6) allowed four hits and walked one in his first win over the Red Sox since June 5, 2006. He was 0-3 with a 7.71 ERA in his previous six games against Boston.

Mussina has won 10 of his last 14 starts and his 11 wins are his most before the All-Star break since he went 12-3 in the first half in 2002. His latest effort came in front of Francona, who will manage the AL in the All-Star game at Yankee Stadium on July 15, but Mussina wasn't interested in lobbying on the eve of the rosters announcement.

"There are a lot of guys who deserve to go, a lot more than there are spots in both leagues," he said. "You could make a whole other team."

Jose Veras and Kyle Farnsworth each worked a perfect inning to set up Rivera, who hit two batters in a game for the first time in his career. He also allowed a run in a save situation for the first time this season.

"It definitely was interesting," Rivera said. "You definitely don't want to get into that situation but it happens. You just have to deal with it."

Boston's first four batters in the ninth reached and Lowell's RBI single cut it to 2-1. Crisp's strikeout was the 900th of Rivera's career, but it was Varitek who was really kicking himself after the game.

"He's Mariano Rivera, but in that situation I've got to do something more," said Varitek, who popped out on a 2-0 pitch.

RAYS 3, ROYALS 0

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Andy Sonnanstine (10-3) scattered five hits over seven innings, J.P. Howell and Grant Balfour finished the five-hitter and Ben Zobrist homered for the third game in a row to lead Tampa Bay over Kansas City for its sixth straight victory.

The Rays increased their AL East lead to a season-high four games over second-place Boston. Tampa Bay has won 10 of 11.

WHITE SOX 6, ATHLETICS 1

CHICAGO — Gavin Floyd (10-4) spaced three singles over 7 1/3 scoreless inning, and Nick Swisher, Brian Anderson and Alexei Ramirez homered as Chicago got to Greg Smith (5-7), who gave up four runs and five hits in five-plus innings for Oakland.

Oakland had captured the first two games of the four-game series to cool off the White Sox, who'd won seven straight before the A's came to town.

TWINS 9, INDIANS 6

MINNEAPOLIS — Joe Mauer homered, walked three times and scored three runs in support of Kevin Slowey (6-6), who after giving up five runs in the second, pitched six innings as Minnesota rallied past Cleveland.

Craig Monroe and Alexi Casilla hit two-run doubles, and the Twins rebounded from the Indians' five-run second inning by scoring five times in the sixth.

RANGERS 5, ORIOLES 3

BALTIMORE — Ian Kinsler homered, German Duran and Michael Young had three hits apiece, and Texas used a sharp pitching performance by substitute starter Scott Feldman to beat Baltimore.

Moved up in the rotation after Eric Hurley was scratched with a hamstring injury, Feldman (3-3) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings. The right-hander allowed three runs and three hits in the first, then blanked the Orioles on two hits until his departure.

BLUE JAYS 7, ANGELS 5

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Vernon Wells hit a two-run homer, and Alex Rios went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and three stolen bases as Toronto beat Los Angeles.

Roy Halladay (10-6) gave up two runs and six hits in seven innings, struck out seven and recorded only three of his outs on flyballs to the outfield. The 2003 AL Cy Young Award winner allowed only one runner past first base after giving up a two-run homer to Vladimir Guerrero in the fourth.

MARINERS 3, TIGERS 2

SEATTLE — Rookie Jeff Clement homered in his final two at-bats, the second a two-run shot off Detroit reliever Fernando Rodney (0-2) in the bottom of the eighth inning that lifted Seattle to victory.

Clement's solo homer in the sixth inning off Detroit starter Armando Galarraga brought Seattle within 2-1 and snapped an 0-for-11 skid.