“They always say records are meant to be broken but this one, with the stadium closing here in a week, you know at least I know I tied for it,” he said.

The Yankees, almost certain to miss the playoffs for the first time since 1993, are nine games behind wild card-leading Boston.

The Rays loaded the bases after Pavano departed, and Damaso Marte walked Akinori Iwamura to make it 7-4. Jason Bartlett followed with a sinking liner but Brett Gardner made a terrific tumbling catch to end the inning.

Gardner also made a diving catch to rob Gabe Gross of a hit in the eighth.

Jackson (11-11) never looked comfortable and dropped to 0-3 in his past three starts. He allowed New York’s first three batters to reach before Rodriguez hit a 3-1 pitch into the bleachers in right-center for his 17th career grand slam.

“I got some balls up,” Jackson said. “They took advantage of it. It just wasn’t my day.”

Rodriguez reached 100 RBIs for the 11th straight season with his 34th homer of the year. It also gave him at least 100 runs in 13 consecutive seasons.

Jeter reached on a perfectly placed bunt single and Giambi finished a 12-pitch at-bat with a walk to set up A-Rod’s first grand slam since Sept. 25, 2007, at Tampa Bay.

Notes: RHP Matt Garza, who threw 83 pitches in Tampa Bay’s 6-5 loss Saturday night, will start Wednesday’s game against Boston on short rest. ... RHP Phil Hughes joined the Yankees on Sunday and will start Wednesday’s game against the Chicago White Sox. ... Yankees 2B Robinson Cano was pulled before the fifth inning because Girardi was upset by his lack of hustle on a fielding play in the fourth. ... The Rays went 7-11 against the Yankees this year.

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