Yankees 5, Astros 4: Robinson Cano and Ben Francisco homered and Eduardo Nunez scored the go-ahead run as host New York took the rubber game from Houston.

Jayson Nix and Chris Stewart each added an RBI in support of David Phelps, who allowed four runs and eight hits over 5 2/3 innings in his first start in place of Ivan Nova. Boone Logan (2-1) picked up the win in relief and Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his 11th save for the Yankees.

The Astros rallied for four runs to tie it in the fourth inning but never took the lead. Carlos Pena, Fernando Martinez, Brandon Barnes and Matt Dominguez each picked up an RBI in the burst.

New York grabbed the lead against Houston starter Erik Bedard with runs in each of the first two innings and made it 3-0 when Cano hooked an 0-2 breaking ball out to right-center in the third. Francisco got a 2-0 fastball two batters later and put it into the front row in left to make it a 4-0 gap.

The Astros battled to tie it in the fourth but the Yankees came back in the sixth. Nunez led off with a double off Paul Clemens (1-1) and took third on a wild pitch before scoring on Ichiro Suzuki’s double-play grounder.

GAME NOTEBOOK: New York loaded the bases in the eighth but could not push across any insurance runs when Nix struck out to end the threat. … Suzuki is 5-for-9 in the last two games and has multiple hits in five of the last eight to lift his average from .200 on April 21 to .279. … Houston RHP Jordan Lyles will be recalled from Triple-A Oklahoma City to start Thursday’s game at Detroit. Lyles is taking the rotation spot of Brad Peacock, who was moved to the bullpen.