Wells Breaks Out With Big Hit, Yanks Beat Rays 7-5

Vernon Wells broke out of his big slump with a pinch-hit, three-run double, and the New York Yankees rallied to beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-5 on Saturday.

Wells was in a 9-for-87 slide that landed him on the bench the past two days, with rookie outfielder Zoilo Almonte starting in his place. But with the Yankees trailing 5-4 in the seventh inning, Wells batted for No. 9 hitter Chris Stewart with the bases loaded and two outs.

Wells' drive to right-center bounced above the top of the wall, where it hit a fan's glove and was ruled fan interference.

The umpires allowed all three runners to cross home plate, determining David Adams would have scored from first base if not for the fan interference. They sent Wells back to second, but the Yankees suddenly had a 7-5 lead.

Rays manager Joe Maddon argued that it should have been called a ground-rule double, with only two runs scoring.

Tampa Bay led 5-3 after top prospect Wil Myers hit a grand slam for his first career home run in the sixth.

Wells' clutch hit got CC Sabathia (8-5) off the hook after he allowed five runs in seven innings. Mariano Rivera worked a scoreless ninth for his 26th save.

Meanwhile, Almonte kept up his hot hitting, starting in Wells' place in left field. On Friday night, he went 3 for 4 with a home run. He was 1 for 2 with two walks and three RBIs on Saturday.

David Robertson came on after the Yankees took the lead and pitched a perfect eighth with two strikeouts.

Joel Peralta (1-4) took over for the Rays in the seventh and immediately got in trouble. He loaded the bases on two walks and Lyle Overbay's double, and was pulled for Jake McGee.

McGee struck out Jayson Nix for the second out but walked Adams to force in a run, the second time the Yankees scored on a bases-loaded walk.

Wells then batted for Stewart, who was 0 for 3 with a double play to end a second-inning threat.

The Rays trailed 3-1 when the Yankees intentionally walked Evan Longoria with two outs to get to Myers.

The rookie came in hitting .190 in five games since he was called up from the minors at the beginning of the week. He'd had exactly one hit in four straight games before going 3 for 4 on Saturday in his first start as a designated hitter.

Longoria was 2 for 2 with a double and a solo homer that accounted for the Rays' lone run when the Yankees intentionally walked him. On a 1-2 count, Myers hit a high fly to center. Brett Gardner jumped at the fence and the ball bounced off the webbing of his glove and into the stands, though it appeared to already be over the wall when he touched it.

Rays rookie starter Alex Colome is yet to allow an earned run over 10 innings in two career starts. He gave up three unearned runs, five hits and five walks with three strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings.

With two outs in the third, Almonte singled on a two-strike count to drive in two runs and give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. He walked with the bases loaded in the fifth.