NEW YORK – Derek Jeter got the grand slam that had eluded him, then added another home run to help the New York Yankees beat the Chicago Cubs yet again.

Jeter’s first career slam, a sixth-inning drive to left-center off reliever Joe Borowski, backed a stellar start by rookie Chien-Ming Wang as the Yankees extended their winning streak to five with an 8-1 victory Saturday.

It was Jeter’s first home run in 136 at-bats and 155 plate appearances with the bases loaded. The Yankees captain had the most at-bats with the bases loaded without a slam among current major leaguers, and his 156 homers coming in were the most without a slam by active major leaguers.

He came out for a curtain call, then was given another standing ovation when he went out to shortstop for the seventh. Fans loudly chanted his name in the eighth, when he hit a leadoff homer off Cliff Bartosh, a drive just over the wall in right-center. With the seventh multihomer game of his career, Jeter tied his career high of five RBIs.

Wang (4-2), coming off his worst start last weekend at St. Louis, limited the Cubs to five hits in eight innings, including a sixth-inning homer by Jason Dubois.

Glendon Rusch (5-3) lost his second straight start, giving up five runs – four earned – and nine hits in five-plus innings. He is 0-7 against the Yankees.

The Cubs have lost three straight overall and dropped to 0-6 at Yankee Stadium. They were swept by New York in the World Series in 1932 and 1938 and did not return to the Bronx until Friday night.

Derrek Lee went 2-for-4, raising his major league-leading average to .387.

The hot-and-cold Yankees have not lost since returning from a 3-9 road trip. After opening the season 11-19 for their worst start since 1966, they won 16 of 18, then lost 11 of 14 before the current spurt.

New York built a 3-0 lead on Alex Rodriguez’s RBI single in the first, consecutive doubles by Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada in the fourth and Gary Sheffield’s run-scoring single in the fifth.

Rusch walked Posada leading off the sixth and gave up a single to Bernie Williams. Rich Hill relieved and struck out Tino Martinez, then loaded the bases with a walk to Robinson Cano. Borowski fell behind Jeter 2-0 and threw a called strike before allowing the second slam of his career.

Notes: Philadelphia’s David Bell, who hasn’t homered in 118 at-bats with the bases loaded, now has the longest drought, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Tampa Bay’s Alex Gonzalez has the most homers without a slam, 132. … Borowski also gave up a slam to Pittsburgh’s Rob Mackowiak on May 28 last year. … Cubs RHP Kerry Wood (right shoulder strain) was scheduled to make a rehabilitation start Sunday for Triple-A Iowa. RHP Mark Prior, who threw about 45 pitches in a simulated game Friday, planned to throw another simulated game Sunday at Yankee Stadium. … New York RHP Kevin Brown (back spasms) will miss his turn Monday against Tampa Bay and be replaced by rookie LHP Sean Henn.

AP-ES-06-18-05 1804EDT


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.