NEW YORK — Johnny Damon and Mark Teixeira hit back-to-back homers in the eighth inning last night, and the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox, 5-2, to finish their first four-game home sweep of their bitter rival in 24 years.

Alex Rodriguez led off the seventh inning with a solo home run off Jon Lester, but Victor Martinez responded with a two-run homer off Phil Coke (4-3) in the top of the eighth, snapping Boston's 31-inning scoreless streak and making it 2-1.

"It was definitely a quick change of emotions," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said. "Alex first hits that home run and then Victor brings us back. We haven't had a lot of offense."

Daniel Bard (0-1) retired the first two hitters in the bottom half before Damon drove a 98-mph fastball over the right-field fence, bringing the fourth consecutive sellout crowd at Yankee Stadium to its feet.

The fans didn't have a chance to sit down, either, before Teixeira went deep to right two pitches later and untied it with his league-leading 29th homer.

Nick Swisher added a two-run single off Hideki Okajima later in the inning, which made it an easy night for Mariano Rivera. The All-Star closer earned his major league-leading 32nd save.

"It's great for us, but we can't stop, we can't think we've won anything," Rivera said.

TIGERS 8, TWINS 7:

Placido Polanco hit a go-ahead single in the eighth inning, helping AL Central-leading Detroit win two of three from visiting Minnesota. Brandon Lyon (5-4) pitched a scoreless eighth and Fernando Rodney closed the game for his 23rd save in 24 chances.

RANGERS 7, ANGELS 0:

Rookie Derek Holland threw a three-hitter against the majors' highest-scoring offense for his first career shutout, and visiting Texas beat the AL West-leading Angels. Holland (5-7) didn't allow a hit until the sixth inning of his 12th career start as Texas took two of three from the Angels.

BLUE JAYS 7, ORIOLES 3:

Roy Halladay pitched eight solid innings, and Vernon Wells and Marco Scutaro hit two-run homers in a four-run third as host Toronto won two of three. Halladay (12-5) allowed three runs and nine hits in eight innings, walked one and struck out four.

ATHLETICS 6, ROYALS 3:

Bobby Crosby homered twice and Ryan Sweeney hit a three-run shot as Oakland won two of three from host Kansas City. Maui's Kurt Suzuki hit a solo homer in the eighth and Crosby had one in the ninth to put the A's up 6-3.

INDIANS 8, WHITE SOX 4:

Jamey Carroll hit a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth inning and added a solo homer in the seventh as Cleveland won two of three from host Chicago. Cleveland starter David Huff (6-6) allowed four runs on eight hits in 6 1/3 innings.

MARINERS 11, RAYS 2:

Russell Branyan hit a grand slam, Ryan Rowland-Smith allowed two runs in 6 2/3 innings and host Seattle won two of three from Tampa Bay. Franklin Gutierrez's second consecutive three-hit game included a game-turning home run in the second inning off Scott Kazmir (6-7).