Swisher leads homer-happy Yankees to 6-4 win over Red Sox

Nick Swisher continued his red-hot streak with two solo homers, one from each side of the plate, and the New York Yankees belted a total of five solo shots en route to a 6-4 victory over the reeling Boston Red Sox.

Swisher has been absolutely on fire since manager Joe Girardi placed him in the number two spot in the lineup and interestingly enough, the Yankees have also begun to heat up during that period. Last night’s win was their eighth of in ten games and brought them a season-high 23 games over .500 again (71-48). Swisher is hitting .310 with 4 HR and 14 RBI during the ten-game period.

Swisher got the scoring going in the bottom of the first with his 17th homer of the season off Boston lefty Franklin Morales. The Yankee got two more in the second on back-to-back shots by Curtis Granderson and Russell Martin.

In the top of the third, Yankees starter Phil Hughes ran into some trouble caused by his throwing error after the leadoff man reached on single. Pedro Ciriaco drove in the BoSox first run with a ground out. Hughes walked Jacoby Ellsbury and was able to get Carl Crawford to pop out for the second out of the inning. But, Dustin Pedroia wanted in on the home run action and sent a Hughes offering over the fence in left field propelling the Red Sox to a 4-3 lead.

Hughes would settle down and the Yankees tied it in the fifth on Derek Jeter‘s 10th home run of the season. Jeter, who is riding a 13-game hit streak, gathered himself another milestone. The homer was the 250th of his illustrious career. Jeter joined Willie Mays as the only players in Major League history to collect at least 250 homers, 3,000 hits, 1,200 RBI and 300 SB. He also joined nine other Yankees who have hit 10 or more homers this season tying a franchise high set by the record-setting 1998 club. The home run also tied Jeter for 9th on the all-time Yankees list with Graig Nettles.

In the sixth the Yankees gave Hughes the lead back with a ho-hum RBI-single by Jayson Nix. Hughes ended the night going seven innings allowing four runs (zero earned) on just four hits and one walk. He struck out four to gather his 12th win of the season.

David Robertson pitched a scoreless top of the eighth inning for his 17th hold. Swisher slugged his second homer of the night and 18th of the season in the bottom of the frame to give Rafael Soriano an insurance run to work with. He wouldn’t need it. Soriano notched his 30th save of the season retiring the Red Sox on 14 pitches.

In this afternoon’s game David Phelps (3-3, 2.53 ERA) goes for his second straight victory as a starter. He’ll face Jon Lester (6-10, 5.20 ERA) who won his last start, but as his record indicates has had a very disappointing season.