NEW YORK » Derek Lowe was being given a tour of the Yankees’ facilities and changing at a locker without a nameplate Monday afternoon. David Phelps had little more than a day to prepare for a spot start in place of ace CC Sabathia.

No matter. The unlikely duo combined to shut down the potent Texas Rangers.

Phelps pitched a career-high five innings and picked off two runners, and Lowe completed New York’s 8-2 victory on Monday night with four shutout innings in his Yankees debut.

“To have those two guys step up to do what they did today, to give those guys like D-Rob (David Robertson) and (Rafael) Soriano a full day off and not have to warm up and anything, that’s big,” said Nick Swisher, who hit a grand slam off Ryan Dempster and drove in five runs.

In the opener of a four-game series between the teams with the AL’s best records, the Yankees powered their way to a sixth straight victory over Texas in the Bronx.

Swisher’s second slam this season was his 200th career homer. Eric Chavez also homered off Dempster (1-1), the Rangers’ recent acquisition.

Dempster matched a season high by allowing eight runs. The other time he allowed eight was in his first start for Texas on Aug. 2. In three starts since coming from the Chicago Cubs in a trade-deadline deal, Dempster has allowed 19 runs — 16 earned — in 171⁄3 innings.

“Too much is made of that,” Dempster said of switching leagues. “I know how to make pitches. When you’re facing lineups and you don’t get that break at the bottom of the lineup where you have the pitcher hitting, and you always have a hitter, every pitch is really, really valuable and it just comes down to executing one pitch at a time. Simple plan. Nothing more and nothing less than that. And tonight, I paid for my mistakes.”

Phelps (3-3) was being held to a 75- to 80-pitch limit. Phelps needed 26 pitches in the first without being hit hard. But thanks in part to a nifty pickoff move, he fulfilled his manager’s wish to make it through five innings.

“I really wanted to get him through the fifth inning. I thought it was important for him,” Joe Girardi said.

Blue Jays 3, White Sox 2, 11 innings

David Cooper singled home the winning run in the 11th inning as host Toronto beat Chicago.

Chicago’s Adam Dunn hit two home runs, including a game-tying shot in the ninth inning, boosting his major league-leading total to 33.

Twins 9, Tigers 3

Darin Mastroianni and Ryan Doumit each homered and drove in three runs, Samuel Deduno baffled struggling visiting Detroit for seven innings, and Minnesota snapped a four-game losing streak.

Indians 6, Angels 2

Justin Masterson pitched shutout ball into the seventh inning, and Cleveland bounced back from its most lopsided loss of the season to beat sputtering Los Angeles in the opener of a 10-game road trip.

Brent Lillibridge homered off All-Star lefty C.J. Wilson (9-9), who dropped his fifth straight decision.

Rays 4, Mariners 1

B.J. Upton hit a two-run homer, and Alex Cobb pitched seven strong innings to help Tampa Bay top host Seattle and win its season-high seventh straight game.

Cobb (7-8) allowed a run and four hits. He struck out five and walked two in his fourth consecutive quality start and third win in a row. His ERA is 1.93 over his last four outings.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

Padres 4, Braves 1

Eric Stults combined with two relievers on a five-hitter, Chase Headley homered and drove in two runs, and visiting San Diego beat Atlanta Braves.

The Padres, who had a six-game winning streak snapped on Sunday, have won eight of 10 for the first time this season.

Phillies 4, Marlins 0

Cole Hamels pitched his second consecutive shutout for Philadelphia in a win over host Miami.

Hamels, coming off a five-hitter against Atlanta last Tuesday, scattered seven hits and struck out five in his sixth career shutout and 12th complete game. He walked one and threw 85 of 113 pitches for strikes.

Cubs 7, Astros 1

Jeff Samardzija struck out a career high-tying 11 in seven innings and Chicago routed visiting Houston.

Darwin Barney and Alfonso Soriano hit two-run homers, and Anthony Rizzo had four hits for the Cubs.

Rockies 9, Brewers 6

DJ LeMahieu had a career-best four hits, Jeff Francis pitched effectively into the sixth inning, and Colorado beat visiting Milwaukee.

Dexter Fowler, Eric Young Jr., Tyler Colvin and Chris Nelson each had two of Colorado’s 15 hits. Every position player for the Rockies had at least one hit as they ended a four-game home losing streak.

Nationals 14, Giants 2

Maui’s Kurt Suzuki drove in four runs, Danny Espinosa and Roger Bernadina each knocked in three and Washington routed host San Francisco in a matchup of NL division leaders.

Gio Gonzalez (15-6) tied a Nationals record for wins in a season.

Ryan Vogelsong (10-6) allowed eight runs on nine hits in 2 2⁄3 innings, his shortest outing of the season.