Yankees win without injured A-Rod

New York Yankees star Alex Rodriguez was hit in the leg by new teammate Lance Berkman's sharp grounder during batting practice Saturday and was removed from the starting lineup against Boston.

The Yankees would go on to win 5-2 at home over the Bosox to open up a 1 ½ game lead over Tampa Bay in the American League East.

Struck on the inside of his left ankle by a sharp grounder in batting practice, Rodriguez managed to get up and walk to the locker room. X-rays were negative, though it's uncertain when the All-Star third baseman will return to the lineup.

"Do I expect him to play tomorrow? I have no idea," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

A-Rod said he'd just waved to Fox announcer Joe Buck when he got zinged by Berkman.

"I never saw it," Rodriguez said. "It'd never happened to me before."

Rodriguez walked toward a protective screen in shallow centre field, then went down on the grass for a couple of minutes with a bruise. Three days after hitting his 600th career home run, he was listed as day to day.

"It doesn't make you feel good when you see a teammate writhing around on the ground," said Berkman before the game.

To add insult, some fans booed Berkman as he endured another hitless game that left him 2-for-22 since he was acquired from Houston just over a week ago.

"This is a big boy's game and place to play. Trust me, I'm booing myself," Berkman said. "I have no credibility here. I haven't won a championship here. You have to earn the fans' respect."

Ramiro Pena took over at third base for Rodriguez and went 1-for-3 with a sacrifice fly at the plate, driving in two runs.

"[Just] trying to do my job," Pena said.

C.C. Sabathia (14-5) got back in the win column after two losses. Sabathia recovered from a Victor Martinez home run in the second to put the Red Sox up 2-0.

Curtis Granderson hit an RBI triple in the second and scored the tying run on Pena's grounder with Boston's infield playing back.

Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada hit run-scoring singles off Boston starter John Lackey (10-7) in the fifth to put New York up 4-2.

"I made a lot of good pitches and just got nickeled and dimed to death. Little slaps that found holes," Lackey said. "I definitely think I threw the ball better than the numbers indicate."

Mariano Rivera came in for the ninth to earn his 23rd save on the season.