Dominant Mussina helps Yankees blank Rangers

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Mike Mussina pitched seven scoreless innings to help the New York Yankees earn a split of their four-game series against the Texas Rangers with a 3-0 road victory on Thursday.

Mussina's 15th victory of the season equaled the most he had registered since 2003 and matched Cleveland's Cliff Lee for the most in the American League this campaign.

The veteran right-hander has been the rock of a Yankees starting rotation forced to absorb injuries to Wang Chien-ming, Phil Hughes and Joba Chamberlain.

"I've got some more games to pitch, and hopefully, I can keep doing what I've been doing," Mussina (15-7) told reporters.

"I'm not going to try to change anything or invent something new. I'm just trying to keep going out there and preparing and doing what I've been doing."

New York closer Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth to record his 28th save of the year as the Rangers were held scoreless for only the second time this season.

Yankees regular shortstop Derek Jeter filled in as the designated-hitter and went 3-for-4, sparking the victory with a solo home run in the first inning off Texas starter Scott Feldman. Jeter added an RBI single in the ninth.

Feldman was solid for the Rangers, allowing two runs over seven innings pitched, but received no run support.

"We have the best offense in the league," Feldman said.

"Tonight probably would have been enough to win any other night, but not the way Mussina was pitching."

Right fielder Marlon Byrd went 3-for-4 for Texas (60-56), now 12 games behind the Los Angeles Angels in the American League West division.

The Yankees (63-52) have pulled to within three games of the second-place Boston Red Sox in the American League East.

(Reporting by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)