The New York Yankees figured out how to beat Seattle ace Felix Hernandez, but still couldn't beat the Mariners as they dropped their second game in a row, 5-4.

The Yanks went up 3-1 in the third inning on a 2-RBI home run by Mark Teixeira, then gave the lead back in the fourth as New York pitcher Ivan Nova quickly unraveled, allowing three to score and yielding to reliever Hector Noesi, who got the last out in the fourth and then pitched two efficient innings before handing the game over to four of his brethren in the bullpen. A Curtis Granderson triple in the seventh inning drove in Derek Jeter to push the game into a tie, but in the twelfth inning Yanks closer Mariano Rivera gave up a single, a double, and an intentional base on balls before Adam Kennedy connected with one of Rivera's trademark cutters and singled in the winning run with a bloop single to center field that dropped in front of Granderson.

Hernandez had beaten the Yankees five straight times, giving up only one earned run in that stretch. King Felix seemed to have New York's number.

Then again, the Yankees seemed to have the game under control with Rivera on the mound against Kennedy. The Seattle second baseman was previously 1 for 13 against Rivera.

For Yankee fans, it was another game in which their batters overcame an ace pitcher then let the game get away from them. For Seattle, it was a curious contest in which they won the hard way--in extra innings, against the best closer in baseball history.

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