Tanaka, Johnson lead Yankees to victory over Bay Rays

New York Yankees’ baseman Mark Teixeira (right) celebrates with teammates Brian McCann (left) and Brett Gardner after hitting a two-run home run against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. PICTURE: USA TODAY SportReuters/New YorkMasahiro Tanaka settled down after a shaky start to pitch seven innings, and third baseman Kelly Johnson led off the bottom of the sixth with a go-ahead home run, as the New York Yankees rallied for a 9-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays in the Major League Baseball at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Tanaka (4-0) continued his trend of allowing runs early, giving up three runs in the first four innings, allowing solo home runs to designated hitter Desmond Jennings and right fielder Wil Myers. After giving up the home run to Myers, Tanaka retired 12 of the final 14 hitters. The Yankees did not lead until Johnson hit a 2-and-1 fastball from right-hander Josh Lueke (0-2) into the right-center field seats. Before Johnson’s fourth home run, first baseman Mark Teixeira hit a two-run home run in the fourth and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury highlighted a three-hit day with a ground-rule double in the fifth that scored right fielder Ichiro Suzuki. Anthony Rizzo and Junior Lake hit home runs and six pitchers combined for the shutout as the Chicago Cubs beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-0 to win their third straight and clinch their first series victory since last September. Lake hit a two-run home run off Michael Wacha (2-3) in the sixth to give the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Rizzo extended the lead to 3-0 in the eighth when he knocked the first pitch he saw from Randy Choate out in right field. The Cardinals (15-16) dropped below .500 for the first time since they were 3-4 to begin the 2013 season. Jon Lester struck out a career-high 15 batters and allowed only one hit over eight dazzling innings, and left fielder Jonny Gomes had a grand slam, as the Boston Red Sox rolled to a 6-3 victory over the Oakland Athletics. Designated hitter David Ortiz and catcher David Ross also hit home runs for the Red Sox. Left-handed Lester carved up the first-placed Athletics, striking out nine of the first 12 batters and retiring 20 of the first 22, allowing only a bloop single to shallow right field by left fielder Craig Gentry leading off the third. After opening the eighth with his second walk of the game, Lester struck out the next three batters, setting a career high by fanning Gentry, who had been the only Oakland player not to go down on strikes. His afternoon came to an end when he got right fielder Josh Reddick looking at his 119th pitch. Minnesota Twins starter Kevin Correia tossed seven strong innings, leading the Twins to a 6-1 win at Target Field that snapped the team’s four-game losing streak. Correia was 0-3 with a 7.33 ERA in five April starts, but he started off the second month of the season in style, allowing only one run on five hits and no walks and striking out three to get his first win of the season. With Correia going strong, the Twins’ offense provided support in every other inning, scoring single runs in the first, third and fifth before first baseman Joe Mauer hit a three-run homer in the seventh to blow the game open. Correia retired the last eight batters he faced and 13 of the final 14. Smoak walked, homeredFirst baseman Justin Smoak walked, homered and scored twice in an eight-run seventh inning and the Seattle Mariners held off the Houston Astros for a 9-8 victory at Minute Maid Park. The Astros (10-20) sent 15 batters to the plate in the seventh and eighth innings, pushing the go-ahead run in scoring position in the latter frame before Mariners closer Fernando Rodney induced a fly ball to right off the bat of second baseman Jose Altuve. Seattle (13-15) trailed 2-1 heading into the seventh before rallying against Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel (2-2), who tossed just 60 pitches while cruising through his first five innings. Right-hander Justin Masterson of the Cleveland Indians pitched 7 1/3 scoreless innings to pick up his first victory of the season, a 2-0 win over the Chicago White Sox. Masterson held the White Sox scoreless on four hits, with six strikeouts and one walk. Both of Cleveland’s runs were unearned, thanks to two White Sox errors.