Alex Rodriguez moved past Barry Bonds for second place on the career RBIs list and got four hits Friday night as the New York Yankees built a huge lead, then scrambled to hold off the Los Angeles Angels 8-7 for their fourth straight victory.
Down 8-1 in the ninth inning, the Angels rallied for six runs with the help of a routine popup that dropped between two infielders for a single. Their first eight batters reached base against Esmil Rogers and Dellin Betances.
The Angels still had the bases loaded with no outs, trailing 8-6. Betances, nicked for an earned run for the first time this season, retired the next three batters for his second save. He struck out pinch-hitter Carlos Perez with runners at the corners to end it, sending Los Angeles to its third loss in a row.
Light-hitting Stephen Drew homered twice and Mark Teixeira connected early as the Yankees took advantage of their ballpark's short porch in right field and Jered Weaver's soft tosses.
Rodriguez singled for his 1,997th RBI and trails only Hank Aaron (2,297) on the chart kept by the Elias Sports Bureau, baseball's official record keeper. The RBI didn't become an official stat until 1920 and that cost Babe Ruth, credited with over 2,200 on other tallies.
A-Rod scored his 1,950th run, breaking a tie with Stan Musial for eighth place. Rodriguez has 2,991 career hits.
Nathan Eovaldi (5-1) left with a 4-0 lead after walking the bases loaded with one out in the sixth inning.
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Weaver (4-5) exited after his final pitch, an 82 mph fastball, was put into the seats by Drew for a solo shot with two outs in the sixth for a 7-1 lead. That was among 14 pitches in the inning that Weaver didn't throw faster than 83 mph.
Drew also hit a two-run drive in the second for his third career multihomer game and first since 2013. He began the day batting .165.
A three-time All-Star, Weaver had won his previous four decisions. That came after he was roughed up in losing four straight times to start the year, prompting him to adjust his mechanics and gain a little more velocity.
Weaver appeared to be miffed by some of the Angels' infield shifts. He didn't seem to enjoy the short dimensions at Yankee Stadium, either. He fell to 1-3 with an 8.71 ERA in five starts at the ballpark.
After Teixeira lofted his 17th homer, a two-run fly in the third, Weaver looked into the Los Angeles dugout and stuck his arm out with a blank expression. When the inning ended, he flipped his glove in the air as he walked to the bench.
