NEW YORK -- As he waited in the on-deck circle, catcher Brian McCann noticed the fireworks from neighboring apartment buildings going up into the sky.

A few moments later, McCann sent something else into the sky and caused another celebration.

McCann hit the game-winning three-run home run with one out in the bottom of the 12th inning, lifting the New York Yankees to a 7-5 win over Tampa Bay Rays Friday night.

McCann's dramatic home run came four innings after first baseman Mark Teixeira forged a 3-3 tie by driving a 1-0 changeup from Kevin Jepsen into the right-field seats.

After Teixeira's home run, the Yankees hit into two inning-ending double plays and fell behind by two runs when left-hander Chasen Shreve (6-1) gave up a double to center fielder Kevin Kiermaier and a single to Rene Rivera that gave Tampa Bay a 5-3 lead and made the comeback necessary.

The Yankees began their rally when center fielder Brett Gardner led off the 12th with a walk and took third on a one-out single by designated hitter Alex Rodriguez. Teixeira's single made it a one-run game and when Steve Geltz (1-4) hung a 1-0 fastball, McCann did not miss it.

"He hung a split the first time, it was up in the zone and I had a favorable count and he's got to make a decision to throw another split or try to get ahead," McCann said. "So I was sitting middle of the plate and I got what I was looking for."

McCann sent the pitch well into the right-field seats for his 13th home run. It was his seventh career walk-off hit, fourth career walk-off home run and second (third walk-off hit) with the Yankees.

"I'm pretty sure the last one (home run) would have been out anywhere," Gardner said. "It was a great win. It will make the drive home a whole lot easier."

McCann's hit gave the Yankees their first walk-off win since Derek Jeter's game-ending single on Sept. 25. It also triggered a wild celebration at the plate when McCann threw his helmet into the air, was mobbed by teammates and got doused by Gardner.

"It's one of the best feelings that you could possibly have," McCann said. "A big spot like that against a team in our division, it's a great feeling."

"Obviously you're playing a team that you're going neck and neck with," Gardner said. "Anytime you're playing a team you got a three-game series with you really need to win those. If you lose the first one, it really makes it tough to win two out of three. If you lose that game, it's tough to go to sleep tonight and you got to wake up early and go after it again. It'll be a little easier to fall asleep for sure."

McCann's home run also gave New York its 13th win in its last 17 home games and seventh in 11 meetings with Tampa Bay.

The home run sent Tampa Bay to a sixth straight loss, which tied a season high. It also was the Rays’ sixth loss in eight extra-inning games this season and four of them have occurred since June 24.

"If we're dwelling on one inning, the walk to Gardner is kind of what sticks out and then you let their big boppers come up there and use right field to their advantage a little bit."

The misplaced location also continued the struggles of Geltz, who has allowed nine hits in his last four appearances.

"It was a fastball," Rivera said. "We tried to go outside, it got some of the plate. McCann is a good hitter, an All-Star guy. He knows what to do in there and he didn't miss it."

Long before the eventful 12th, right-hander Chris Archer was on his way to improving to 6-0 against the Yankees. Archer allowed three hits in 6 2/3 scoreless innings although he threw a season-high 122 pitches.

Tampa Bay took a 3-0 lead by scoring twice in the first and once in the fifth off Masahiro Tanaka. Third baseman Evan Longoria had an RBI double and first baseman James Loney lifted a sacrifice fly in the first while Rivera lifted a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Tanaka allowed three runs and six hits in six innings.

NOTES: The Yankees placed OF Carlos Beltran on the 15-day DL with a left oblique strain and recalled OF Ramon Flores from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. New York also recalled INF Gregorio Petit from Triple-A and optioned OF Taylor Dugas to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. ... Tampa Bay activated 1B James Loney from the disabled list. He missed more than a month with a fractured left middle finger. ... Tampa Bay OF Steven Souza, hitless in his last 24 at-bats, had his second straight day off. ... New York OF Jacoby Ellsbury (right knee) was had his second straight night off from rehab games and it is not believed to be a physical reason. ... Yankees LHP CC Sabathia's next start will be moved back to Wednesday against Oakland instead of Sunday. ... Rays RHP Jake Odorizzi (strained left oblique) will make one more rehab start before returning next weekend.