updated 11:30 p.m. ET May 25, 2005

NEW YORK - Nothing gets between Derek Jeter and a flyball — not even a teammate.

Jeter made a spectacular tumbling catch while colliding into teammate Robinson Cano in the seventh inning to protect Chien-Ming Wang’s lead Wednesday night in the New York Yankees’ 4-2 win over the Detroit Tigers.

“That was the best play I’ve ever seen,” Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. “That play last year when he went into the stands, he just ran out of field.”

With runners on first and second with one out in the seventh and the Yankees ahead by two runs, Marcus Thames hit fly into shallow center field. Running full speed with his back to the plate, the Yankees captain banged into Cano, who was chasing from second base. Jeter reached over his shorter teammate to make the catch, and the pair fell to the ground, with Jeter landing on top of Cano.

“I thought I could get it when he hit it,” Jeter said. “I didn’t even know Cano was coming.”

At first, Jeter thought he collided with center fielder Bernie Williams. Cano was surprised Jeter got near the ball.

“I don’t know where he came from,” the rookie said.

There were no significant injuries on the play — Cano said he got spiked above his right ankle but was OK — unlike Jeter’s remarkable 12th-inning catch against the Boston Red Sox last July 1. On that play, running all out, Jeter made the catch near the left-field line behind third base. Unable to stop, he dived headfirst into the stands and bloodied his face and bruised his shoulder.

“The one against Boston wasn’t really hard to catch, it was the afterwards,” Jeter said.

The crowd chanted “Jeter! Jeter!” as he retrieved his cap and serenaded him with a sing-song chorus of “Der-ek Jeter,” when he returned to shortstop.

“Two guys colliding and it doesn’t fall in — that’s why he’s one of the best shortstops in the game,” Thames.

Back in the lineup after being hit by a pitch near his left hip Tuesday night and leaving for a pinch-runner, Alex Rodriguez struck out with the bases loaded in the third, then hit a run-scoring double against Mike Maroth off the wall in left to snap a 1-all tie in the sixth.

“I wasn’t worried about striking out; Maroth made a perfect pitch,” Rodriguez said. “When the opportunity came up again, I came through. It was nice.

The Yankees, who twice left the bases loaded, won for the 14th time in 16 games, moved a season-high four games over .500 at 25-21 and closed within a half-game of second-place Boston in the AL East. Just two of the wins have come against teams with records above .500 when the games were played.

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