Arlington, TX -- Derek Jeter blasted a first-inning home run and four Yankee pitchers combined on a five-hitter as New York earned a 4-2 victory over Texas in the middle contest of a three-game series at Ameriquest Field.

Emergency starter Tanyon Sturtze threw five solid innings as the Yankees stopped a two-game slide and posted their sixth triumph in eight outings.

Sturtze (4-2) was filling in for Javier Vazquez, who is sidelined with pink eye, and allowed just two runs on five hits plus a walk. The righthander retired 12 of the final 14 batters he faced after a shaky first inning.

"Anytime I can come in and help the team, that feels good," Sturtze said.

Mariano Rivera mowed down Texas in order in the ninth to pick up his major-league best 39th save.

Michael Young finished 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Rangers, who have dropped five of their last six.

Jeter gave the Yankees a quick 1-0 advantage with his 15th home run of the season. The blast came with one out in the top of the first.

The Rangers countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning to forge ahead. David Dellucci doubled with one out and scored the tying run on Young's single. After Hank Blalock followed with a double and Mark Teixeira walked to load the bases, Sturtze drilled Gary Matthews Jr. with a pitch to force home Young.

Further damage was prevented, however, when Gary Sheffield gunned down Blalock at the plate after hauling in Brian Jordan's fly ball.

"That was the big turning point in the game, because it helped me settle down," said Sturtze of Sheffield's play.

Texas starter Nick Regilio walked the first three batters he faced in the second, and New York took advantage with a pair of runs to reclaim the lead. John Olerud knocked in Hideki Matsui with a fielder's choice grounder to knot the score at 2-2 and Miguel Cairo plated Jorge Posada with a sacrifice fly to put the Yankees back in front.

The Rangers never threatened again. Sturtze surrendered just two hits over his last four innings, Paul Quantrill tossed two perfect frames and Tom Gordon threw a 1-2-3 eighth before handing the ball over to Rivera.

"Quantrill was our savior," Yankees manager Joe Torre remarked. "He got us six outs."

Regilio (0-4) lasted just three innings despite yielding just two hits. The rookie righty issued four walks and also hit a batsman as he was charged with three runs.

The Yankees got an insurance run off Carlos Almanzar in the eighth. Matsui reached on an infield single, raced to third on Posada's base hit, and crossed the plate on Bernie Williams' sac fly for a 4-2 edge.