ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. -- Hiroki Kuroda got a couple extra days between starts and it looked as if it paid off. Kuroda pitched neatly into the seventh inning, Brett Gardner drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat the Tampa Bay Rays 4-2 on Sunday. Kuroda (8-8) retired 17 straight batters after allowing consecutive one-out singles to Ben Zobrist and Matt Joyce in the first. "I was able to physically get refreshed as well as mentally," Kuroda said through a translator. Kuroda gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings. After Shawn Kelley and Dellin Betances combined for 1 1-3 scoreless innings, David Robertson closed for his 33rd save. "He had everything in his arsenal today," New York manager Joe Girardi said of Kuroda, who lasted just 4 2-3 innings in his previous start. New York has won two in a row after losing five straight. "We won our last two, and hopefully go home and win five or six and keep on going," Gardner said. Jeremy Hellickson (1-2) didnt allow a hit until there were two outs in the fifth. After a walk to Stephen Drew, Martin Prado doubled and Gardner followed with a two-run single. Jacoby Ellsbury, hitless in his previous 17 at-bats during a five-game road trip, made it 3-1 with an RBI single on New Yorks fourth straight hit. "The walk to Drew really set the game the other way," Rays manager Joe Maddon said. Hellickson made his sixth start after right elbow surgery in January. He left after the fifth. Mark Teixeira reached 20 homers for the 11th time in his career with a solo shot in the Yankees eighth. The slugger tied Joe DiMaggio for 80th place on the all-time list with 361. Evan Longoria had two RBIs for the Rays. He hit a run-scoring grounder in the first and drove in Joyce with a seventh-inning single that pulled Tampa Bay within 3-2. Prado also made several strong defensive plays at second base during Kurodas long run of consecutive outs. Tampa Bay had its club record of holding opponents to three runs or less end at 12 consecutive games. The Rays were just 7-5 over the stretch. "Thats like mid-60s baseball," Maddon said. "Wed like to take a little more advantage than 7-5." TRAINERS ROOM Yankees: Derek Jeter was the DH for the second straight game and sixth time this season. Jeter fouled a ball off his lower left leg Saturday, but Girardi said giving Jeter a break from the turf at Tropicana Field was behind the decision. ... C Brian McCann was hitless in four at-bats in his return after missing six games with a concussion. Rays: RF Wil Myers (broken right wrist) could return this week. OF David DeJesus (broken left hand) will not play in a rehab game Monday due to hand soreness. KURODAS HOMEWORK Joyce is 9 for 23 with three homers off Kuroda, which is something the right-hander has taken notice of. "If I knew what causes it, Im sure Id be able to get him out," Kuroda said. "Thats something that I have to take home and study." UP NEXT Yankees: LHP Chris Capuano (1-3) is scheduled to start against Houston LHP Brett Oberholtzer (4-8) Tuesday night. Rays: Tampa Bay and Detroit begin a three-game series Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. Former Rays ace David Price is scheduled to face Tampa Bay for the first time Thursday. Kyle Seager Jersey . The star receiver certainly isnt celebrating it with the Texans mired in a franchise-record 13-game skid. Hisashi Iwakuma Mariners Jersey .com) - The Kansas City Chiefs activated linebacker Joe Mays from short-term injured reserve on Saturday. https://www.cheapmariners.com/2215k-tom-...riners.html.com) - Jimmy Butler made four key free throws down the stretch to lift the Chicago Bulls over the Boston Celtics, 109-102, on Friday. Randy Johnson Mariners Jersey .C. -- The RBC Cups semifinal participants were decided by a pair of overtime games. Gaylord Perry Mariners Jersey . "He came up to me and said, I want to train," said Toronto coach Ryan Nelsen. The 26-year-old midfielder is expected to play Saturday night when Toronto hosts D.C. United, returning to his Major League Soccer squad with mixed feelings about the Americans World Cup run -- sad that it ended when it did but proud of his teams performance.LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte had shoulder surgery in late March and will likely be out at least until the start of training camp, the team said Thursday. The expected recovery period is four to five months. Conte started all 16 games for the first time in his career last season, but struggled along with just about everyone else on defence. His worst moment was when he failed to lock onto Green Bays Randall Cobb in the closing minute of the final game. That led to a wide-open 47-yard touchdown pass from Aaron Rodgers on fourth down that gave the Packers a 33-28 victory and kept Chicago out of the playoffs. The Bears have been overhauling their defence, releasing defensive end Julius Peppers and signing Jared Allen to replace him.dddddddddddd Theyve also made several moves at safety, re-signing Craig Steltz and bringing in Ryan Mundy from the New York Giants, M.D. Jennings from Green Bay, and Danny McCray from Dallas. "I know Im going to have to compete for my position on this team," Conte told the teams website. "I am prepared to do that and felt having this surgery was the best way to be 100 per cent healthy and be the best player I can possibly be." The Bears also re-signed offensive tackle Eben Britton to a one-year contract on Thursday. ' ' '