New York Yankees Jeter watches his hit against the Chicago White Sox during their MLB American League baseball game in Chicago
New York Yankees Derek Jeter watches one of his five hits against the Chicago White Sox during their MLB American League baseball game in Chicago August 3, 2011. REUTERS

The New York Yankees came out swinging and battered the Chicago White Sox into submission on Wednesday, keeping pace in the American League East title race with an 18-7 victory in a 37-hit slug-fest.

Exploding for a season-high offensive performance that included 23 hits, the Yankees (67-42) raced away from the outset to ensure they remained one-game behind division-leading Boston after the Red Sox (68-41) had edged the Cleveland Indians.

Every starting player on both rosters recorded a hit but New York made the most of their opportunities in the early exchanges to build a 13-1 advantage after just three innings.

Curtis Granderson led a group of stellar performances with four hits and five RBIs, captain Derek Jeter went 5-for-6 and Robinson Cano and Eric Chavez each had four RBIs as the Yankees strolled to their sixth straight victory.

"We've been swinging the bats collectively," Jeter told reporters after increasing his career hit total to 3,027.

"It's not too often during the course of the season where it seems like everyone is swinging the bat well at the same time, but it's been the case for us the last few days."

New York starter A.J. Burnett appeared on course for an easy win but Chicago scored five runs in the fourth, enough to chase the right-hander out of the game en route to a no decision.

"I (made) a change because I see that he's struggling and we've got to win," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "I just felt that he didn't have it tonight."

Cory Wade came on and threw 1 2/3 innings of perfect relief to earn the win after the White Sox had made it 13-7 in the fifth, leaving the Yankees to put the finishing touches on the game with four runs in the eighth and one more in the ninth.

Chicago sent starter Gavin Floyd (9-10) to the mound in the hope of ending a four-game losing streak, but he was knocked around for 10 runs in just 2 1/3 innings and the White Sox fell to another loss.

The White Sox are now 6 games adrift of AL Central- leading Detroit Tigers.

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