Robinson Cano Powers New York Yankees Past Los Angeles Angels

Robinson Cano slugged a pair of home runs and finished with three RBI to lead New York past the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, 6-3 on Thursday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees won two of three for the third consecutive series to improve to 6-3. The Angels dropped to 3-7.

After Hideki Matsui put Los Angeles ahead with a solo home run in the top of the second, Cano responded with a line drive home run in the bottom half of the inning to tie the game.

He added his fourth round-tripper of the season with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fifth to give New York a 6-1 lead. Cano is batting .395 with four home runs and nine RBI over the first nine games this season.

With the game tied at one, Derek Jeter led off the bottom of the third with a home run off of Angels’ starter Scott Kazmir (0-1).

Jeter came into the at bat 4-for-37 in his career against Kazmir. New York added two more runs in the fourth on an RBI triple by Curtis Granderson and Jeter’s RBI double.

Los Angeles added a run in the top of the sixth on Howie Kendrick’s RBI groundout. In the top of the eighth, the Angels had runners at first and third with one out. But Joba Chamberlain induced Kendrick to hit into a 1-6-3 double play to end the inning.

Phil Hughes (1-0) allowed two runs on three hits over five innings in his first start of the season. He struck out six while walking five.

On a night when all players wore No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson, Mariano Rivera, the only active player to wear Robinson’s number, retired Bobby Abreu in the top of the ninth for his fourth save.

Kazmir, who was also making his first start of the season, allowed six runs on eight hits in four-plus innings.

New York will continue their season-opening homestand on Friday by opening a weekend series against Texas. C.J. Wilson (0-0, 0.00) will start for the Rangers while the Yankees will counter with CC Sabathia (1-0, 3.46). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.