Yanks 1 back for wild card as Teixeira’s slam tops Rays, 7-5

NEW YORK — Mark Teixeira broke open the game with a fourth-inning grand slam, and the surprising New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 7-5 on a soggy Friday night to extend their winning streak to six.

Matching their longest streak this season, the Yankees (75-65) closed within one game of Baltimore and Detroit for the second AL wild card.

New York, in an unfamiliar role of chaser after a 9-17 start, has moved a season-high 10 games over .500 with an unexpected spurt that followed the release of Alex Rodriguez and the trades of Carlos Beltran, Aroldis Chapman, Andrew Miller and Ivan Nova.

Gary Sanchez, one of the Baby Bombers brought up from the minors as part of the youth movement, hit his 12th home run in 31 games, a drive into Monument Park behind the center-field fence in the third.

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