NEW YORK - Derek Jeter's return was a stroke of good luck for the Yankees. Now, they're hoping to catch a break with Kevin Brown.
Jeter returned from a three-game absence to hit a go-ahead home run in the seventh inning, and the Yankees overcame the loss of Brown by rallying past the Rockies 7-5 Wednesday night.
The Yankees won their 12th straight interleague game, the longest streak in the majors since AL vs. NL regular-season play began in 1997. Colorado lost its fourth in a row overall.
Jeter, sidelined by tightness in his left groin, Bernie Williams and Gary Sheffield homered as New York came back from an early 5-0 hole. The Yankees won when trailing by at least four for the sixth time this season after not doing it once last year.
Brown left after only two innings because of stiffness in his lower back.
"Obviously, you come out at that point in the game, you have to have some doubt about what you'll be able to do," Brown said. "Maybe this is coming to a head, and we'll be able to get it straightened out."
Joe Kennedy (4-4) took a 5-4 lead into the seventh, and Miguel Cairo led off with a double for the third of his career high-tying four hits.
Jeter followed by lining a full-count pitch over the centerfield fence for his eighth homer, and he responded to a standing ovation by taking a curtain call.
Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his 25th save in 26 chances.
TIGERS 4, BRAVES 2: Eric Munson and Carlos Guillen homered for host Detroit. Craig Dingman got his first major-league win, pitching three scoreless innings of relief in a game delayed by rain for 2 hours, 24 minutes in the second inning.
Chipper Jones and Eli Marrero homered for Atlanta, which dropped back to .500.
The Tigers won for only the fifth time in 16 games.
Neither starting pitcher - John Thomson for Atlanta and Jeremy Bonderman for Detroit - returned after the rain delay.
Thomson (5-3) allowed a run and four hits in one-plus inning. Bonderman gave up one hit in two innings.
Armando Almanza took over for the Braves, and Dingman (1-0) for the Tigers. Dingman gave up three hits.
Atlanta loaded the bases with one out in the third on three singles, but Dingman got J.D. Drew to ground into a double play to end the inning.
ORIOLES 8, DIAMONDBACKS 2: Miguel Tejada hit a tiebreaking, three-run homer in the seventh and Luis Matos added a two-run shot for host Baltimore. Melvin Mora scored a career-high four times for the Orioles, who won for only the sixth time in 18 games.
Baltimore batted around in a five-run seventh to take a 7-2 lead. Stephen Randolph (1-1), who came in with a 1.98 ERA, walked Brian Roberts and Mora before Tejada hit a 3-and-1 fastball over the rightfield scoreboard.
The opposite-field homer was his ninth of the season, the first with more than one runner on. With two outs, Arizona third baseman Tim Olson misplayed a grounder, and Matos greeted Brandon Villafuerte with a home run to center.
INDIANS 8, MARLINS 1: Jake Westbrook pitched eight impressive innings and Casey Blake homered for Cleveland, which got past Florida for the first time since winning Game 6 of the 1997 World Series. The Marlins won Game 7 in 11 innings, swept a three-game series at home in 2002 and took the opener of this three-game set Tuesday night on two ninth-inning homers off the foul pole at Jacobs Field.
Westbrook (5-2) allowed one run and six hits in his first appearance against the Marlins. The right-hander struck out four without a walk in improving to 4-0 with a 2.85 ERA in seven outings, including five starts, at home this season. Miguel Cabrera ruined Westbrook's bid for his first career shutout by hitting a 446-foot homer, his 15th, to left-center leading off the seventh.
TWINS 5, METS 3: Johan Santana pitched seven strong innings to snap his four-game skid and Jacque Jones hit a three-run homer for host Minnesota. Matthew LeCroy followed Jones' homer with his own for Minnesota, which has won three straight.
Gerald Williams hit his first major-league homer in more than three years and Mike Piazza drove in two for the Mets, who have dropped four of five. Santana (3-4), who had lost a career-worst four straight starts, had a season-high 10 strikeouts and no walks. He allowed one run on six hits, and Joe Nathan got four outs for his 16th save in 17 opportunities.
Ex-Rays pitcher Steve Trachsel (5-5) gave up five runs and eight hits in seven innings, striking out six and walking one.
PHILLIES 13, WHITE SOX 10: Bobby Abreu homered twice and Eric Milton won his third straight start to lead Philadelphia. Abreu homered in the first and had a two-run shot in a seven-run fourth for the Phillies, who had lost six of eight. Jim Thome added his third homer in two games for Philadelphia.
The teams combined to hit eight home runs a game after combining for nine in the White Sox's 14-11 win. The 17 home runs over a two-game span set a U.S. Cellular Field record.
Milton (8-1) was roughed up but still got the win, giving up a season-high six runs on nine hits in five innings. The left-hander is tied for second in the NL in wins with Randy Johnson and is off to the best start of his career.
BLUE JAYS 4, DODGERS 0: Miguel Batista pitched a four-hitter for his third career shutout, leading host Toronto. Batista (4-4) set a season high with eight strikeouts and walked two in his first shutout since July 18 against San Diego. Batista has allowed three runs in his past three outings, improving his ERA to 4.20, and has won four of his past six starts after going winless in his first seven.
ASTROS 3, MARINERS 0: Wade Miller pitched visiting Houston to its second straight shutout of Seattle. Jeff Kent blooped a single to center in the eighth, extending his career-best hitting streak to 24 games and tying the Astros' record set by Tony Eusebio in 2000.
BREWERS 12, ANGELS 2: Bill Hall drove in three runs and Brady Clark tied a career high with four hits for visiting Milwaukee. Jarrod Washburn allowed six runs and eight hits in five innings. The left-hander is 0-2 with a 7.77 ERA in his past four starts.
A'S 17, REDS 8: Damian Miller hit a grand slam and host Oakland had a season-high 22 hits. Oakland won its fifth straight and moved into first in the AL West. The Athletics improved to 16-0 against the NL Central since interleague play began - 6-0 versus Cincinnati.
EXPOS-ROYALS, PPD.: The game was postponed by rain and will be made up as part of a doubleheader today. It was the first rainout in Kansas City since Aug. 31 last year.
PIRATES-RANGERS, PPD.: The game was rained out for the second day in a row. Both rainouts will be made up as part of a doubleheader today, which was supposed to be a day off for both teams.
