The New York Yankees treated the Milwaukee Brewers rudely Tuesday night in Milwaukee's first visit to Yankee Stadium since moving to the National League in 1998, blasting the Brewers, 12-2.
The Yankees are now a season-best 15 games above .500 at 46-31. They lead the American League East by 1.5 games over the Boston Red Sox. The Yankees are 26-12 since May 17, best record in the majors.
Nick Swisher's three-run homer highlighted a big second inning and Mark Teixeira -- who homered for the 24th time this year -- finished with four RBI. Freddy Garcia (7-6) scattered eight hits and was charged with a pair of runs over six innings
Milwaukee starter Zack Greinke (7-3) was pounded, allowing five hits and seven runs over two innings.
Greinke didn't have his control right from the start as he pegged lead-off hitter Brett Gardner. Curtis Granderson followed with a fly ball to center field. Nyjer Morgan slipped and the ball landed next to him for a triple. Granderson then scored on Teixeira's groundout.
"We just kept putting good at-bats on him," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Greinke. "I thought our guys just did a nice job of moving runners over and not try to do too much."
New York loaded the bases later in the first when McGehee failed to tag out Rodriguez at third after making a diving stop on a ground ball. However, Russell Martin flied out to end the inning.
The Yankees then blew the game open with a five-run second. Gardner and Eduardo Nunez pulled off a double steal, and Teixeira followed with an RBI groundout. Rodriguez walked prior to Robinson Cano's RBI single to center. Swisher then turned on a 2-0 fastball down the middle and homered to right field.
The series continues Wednesday with A.J. Burnett pitching for the Yankees and Shaun Marcum for Milwaukee.
-- Sports Network contributed to this report