Hardyâ??s error helps Yanks rally past Oâ??s

NEW YORK — Shortstop J.J. Hardy's bases-loaded error let New York complete a seventh-inning comeback and the Yankees stung the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 Saturday to restore their AL East lead to three games.

Shut down all afternoon, the struggling Yankees rallied for three runs in the seventh against a suddenly shaky Baltimore bullpen. The streaking Orioles had won 13 straight one-run decisions before falling apart as the calendar turned to September.

Newly promoted Eduardo Nunez hit an RBI single with two outs that chased Wei-Yin Chen (12-8) and made it 3-2. Pedro Strop, one of baseball's best relievers, walked Ichiro Suzuki and then threw two quick strikes to Derek Jeter before walking him, forcing home the tying run.

TORONTO — Matt Joyce homered and had three RBIs, Ryan Roberts also connected and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Toronto Blue Jays.

For the second straight day, the game ended with the potential tying run thrown out at home plate. This time, Colby Rasmus singled to center off Fernando Rodney, but catcher Jose Molina hauled in a high throw from B.J. Upton and blocked Omar Vizquel's path to the plate, tagging him out to end it.

Rays starter Jeff Niemann left in the fourth inning with tightness in his right arm, bringing an early end to his comeback from a broken right leg.

SEATTLE — Mark Trumbo hit a two-run single in the eighth inning that helped hand Felix Hernandez his first loss in nearly three-months as the Los Angeles Angels beat the Seattle Mariners.

Hernandez (13-6) lost for the first time since June 12. He entered this outing 9-0 with a 1.40 ERA over his previous 14 starts.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Justin Morneau drove in two runs and Minnesota rookie Cole De Vries beat the Kansas City Royals again in the first game of a doubleheader.

De Vries (4-5) has four career victories and three of them are against the Royals.