Yankees 5, Rays 3: Curtis Granderson and Eduardo Nunez hit back-to-back homers in a three-run second inning as host New York evened a three-game series with Tampa Bay.

Ivan Nova (12-7) came off the disabled list and turned in six strong innings and Derek Jeter singled in a run for the Yankees, who moved into sole possession of first place in the American League East. Baltimore fell one game behind after dropping a 5-2 decision to Oakland.

Evan Longoria homered and Luke Scott singled in a pair of runs for the Rays, who fell three games behind Baltimore for the second wild-card spot in the AL.

Batting seventh despite a right-hander on the mound in James Shields (14-9), Granderson came up with one on and one out in the second and stayed back on a changeup, belting it out to right for his 39th home run. Nunez followed and made it 3-0 with his first homer. The Yankees have hit back-to-back home runs 11 times this season.

New York made it 4-0 on Jeter’s single in the fifth before Tampa Bay got on the board. Longoria hit his solo homer in the sixth and Scott singled in the seventh, but Joba Chamberlain struck out Desmond Jennings to end the threat. David Robertson pitched the eighth and Rafael Soriano worked around a pair of base runners in the ninth for his 39th save.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Rays INF Sean Rodriguez was activated off the disabled list and came on as a pinch runner in the seventh. Rodriguez made a great barehanded play on a bunt attempt by Granderson in the eighth. … Granderson has five homers in his last six games and is two away from matching his career high (41). … Shields was charged with four runs on six hits in 6 1/3 innings.