Matsui’s Injury Compounds Yankees’ Loss to Red Sox

Hideki Matsui’s broken wrist left the New York Yankees without another power-hitting outfielder, and the Boston Red Sox rallied to win, 5-3, Thursday night at Yankee Stadium on Mark Loretta’s two-run infield single.

Loretta finished with four hits. His first sent Matsui to a hospital, and his last put the Red Sox ahead in the seventh.

Boston’s No. 2 hitter sent a blooper into left field in the first inning, and Matsui landed hard on his left wrist in an unsuccessful bid to make a diving catch. He immediately left the game, was put in an ambulance while still in uniform and was to have surgery today.

Yankee Manager Joe Torre said he thought Matsui would be sidelined about three months.

New York was already without a starting outfielder. Right fielder Gary Sheffield hurt his left wrist in a collision at first base on April 29 and went on the disabled list this week. He can’t come off the disabled list until May 21, and General Manager Brian Cashman said Sheffield might go to Tampa, Fla., for rehabilitation.

Boston took two of three in the series, opened a one-game lead in the East Division and has won three of four against New York this year.

Because Matsui did not play a full half inning, his consecutive games streak ended at 518 when the game became official. Baseball rule 10.24 (c) states: “A consecutive game playing streak shall be extended if the player plays one half inning on defense, or if he completes a time at bat by reaching base or being put out.�

Before joining the Yankees, Matsui played in 1,250 consecutive games with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Central League from 1994 to 2002.

Toronto 8, Oakland 3 -- Troy Glaus homered twice and drove in four runs and Ted Lilly (4-2) pitched effectively into the eighth inning at Toronto to beat his former team.

Glaus hit a three-run homer off Kirk Saarloos (1-1) in the third inning and a solo shot in the fifth for his third multihomer game this season.

Acquired from Arizona during the off-season, Glaus, a former Angel, has 12 home runs and 30 runs batted in. Gregg Zaun also homered for the Blue Jays (19-15), four games over .500 for the first time this season.

Detroit at Baltimore -- The game was postponed because of rain. No makeup date was announced.