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BOSTON (AP) -- The New York Yankees had to work extra long to extend their lead in the AL East.

Elias Says

Damon Johnny Damon homered in both games of the Yankees' long day's journey into night at Fenway Park. Only two other players homered in two games in one day against the Red Sox after having played for them in the previous season: Babe Ruth in 1920 and Willie Tasby in 1961. Damon's two home runs on Friday gave him 20 in 2006, making him the fifth player to hit 20 or more home runs in a season for both the Yankees and Red Sox. The others: Babe Ruth, Don Baylor, Jack Clark and Mike Stanley. In Friday afternoon's game, Damon became the first player in 23 years to lead off the top of the first inning of a Red Sox-Yankees game with a triple. Boston's Jerry Remy did that two different times at Yankee Stadium during the 1983 season. The last Yankees player to do it against the Red Sox was Willie Randolph in June 1980. • For more Elias Says, Click here.

The Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 14-11 to complete a sweep of Friday's day-night doubleheader and give New York a season-high 3½-game lead in the division. At 4 hours, 45 minutes, the nightcap was the longest nine-inning game in major-league history, and it came on top of a relatively speedy 3:55 afternoon contest.

"We kept looking up and it kept being the fourth inning. It was nuts," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "I'm proud of it, especially in this ballpark, where every game seems like it's the longest game in history."

The teams combined for 41 runs and 61 hits. Twenty pitchers -- that's counting Mike Myers and Scott Proctor twice -- threw 783 pitches. In all, the teams played 8:40 minutes of baseball, from Jason Johnson's first pitch at 1:10 p.m. until Mariano Rivera covered first to retire Wily Mo Pena at 12:52 a.m.

"I don't even remember half of it," said Derek Jeter, who hit a bases-clearing double in a seven-run seventh inning to give New York an 11-10 lead.

"It feels great," Jeter said sarcastically, "especially when we have another one in a few hours."

Chien-Ming Wang (14-5) beat Jason Johnson (3-12) in the first game.

Johnny Damon had six of New York's 34 hits on the day, including a pair of two-run homers. Bobby Abreu had four hits to lead the Yankees to a 12-4 victory in the early game, then added two more in the sequel as the Yankees guaranteed that they will leave town after the five-game series with the division lead.

"It was a long, frustrating day," said Red Sox second baseman Mark Loretta, who had three doubles in the first game and went 3-for-6 with four RBI in the second for Boston, which has lost nine of 13. "We have our work cut out for us in this series."

The night game surpassed the 4:27 it took the Dodgers and Giants to play on Oct. 5, 2001. Because the park was cleared between games, the Elias Sports Bureau does not count it as a doubleheader. The longest doubleheader, between the Rangers and White Sox on May 24, 1995, took 7:39.

Jeter had three hits in the opener but was hitless in the second until lining one down the right-field line against Mike Timlin (5-3) to give New York the lead for good. Mike Myers (1-0) got just two outs -- David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez -- but had the good fortune of being in the game when the Yankees broke out.

Ortiz hit his major league-leading 43rd homer in the ninth to cut the deficit to three runs against Rivera. Alex Rodriguez then botched Ramirez's grounder for his 22nd error, tied for the major league lead.

Boston trailed 5-1 and 7-5 in the night game before taking a 10-7 lead in the fifth. But the Yankees sent 11 batters to the plate in the seventh against Craig Hansen and Timlin.

Timlin came in with one out and the bases loaded and a three-run lead before giving up an RBI single to Melky Cabrera. He got Damon to pop out, then Jeter made it 11-10.

Abreu was intentionally walked before Rodriguez doubled in another run and Robinson Cano singled in two more.

Ramirez hit his 33rd homer of the season -- but his first since Aug. 9 -- and then went 4-for-6 in the nightcap.

Damon started things off for the day with a triple to lead off the first game.

"I think that's what we've seen on the other side of the field for so many years," Torre said of Damon, who helped Boston win the 2004 World Series. "He just seems to rise to the occasion. & We're glad he's on our side; let's put it that way."

Facing their top rivals a day after losing 12-2 to Baltimore, the Yankees also got a boost from Abreu, who was acquired from the Phillies at the trade deadline and experienced the craziness for the first time. He had four hits in the opener.

"He's a good player, and he's in the middle of a pennant race," said Boston manager Terry Francona, who had Abreu with the Phillies. "So I'm sure that added to his excitement."

Eric Hinske, playing his first game since being traded from Toronto, and Loretta each hit three doubles for the Red Sox. Boston had nine extra-base hits in the opener but finished 0-for-16 with runners in scoring position.

Wang allowed three runs, seven hits and four walks in six innings. Johnson lost his eighth consecutive decision and was designated for assignment after the game to make room for Keith Foulke to come off the disabled list.

Johnson gave up four runs and seven hits in 4 1/3 innings.

Game Notes
A logo for the Jimmy Fund was added to the Green Monster in honor of the cancer charity's annual telethon. ... Yankees INF Andy Phillips went on the 15-day DL with a strained left ribcage muscle. RHP T.J. Beam was recalled from Triple-A Columbus. ... Yankees DH Jason Giambi scored his 1,000th career run in the first game. ... Boston 3B Mike Lowell made a nice catch falling into the Yankees dugout in the day game, but in the seventh inning he missed a slow liner to end his 70-game errorless streak. ... Bernie Williams tied Lou Gehrig for first on the Yankees' list with his 1,531st single. ... Kyle Farnsworth left after being struck on the right leg by Wily Mo Pena's liner in the seventh in the night game. He was diagnosed with a bruise, and X-rays were negative.