Hitting coach helps A-Rod play Long ball

Alex Rodriguez believes the origin of what perhaps was a breakout road trip came in the three games from June 18-20 at Yankee Stadium, even if he did go 0-for-11.

"I go back to the Mets series," Rodriguez said after Sunday's 8-6, 10-inning comeback victory over the Dodgers. "I feel like every day, I'm getting a little bit better. I think I have a long ways to go, but every day's a little better."

His six games in Phoenix and Los Angeles certainly looked like the start of something.

Rodriguez went 8-for-21 with five walks, three homers and 10 RBIs on the trip, punctuating it by going 2-for-5 with a two-run homer in the victory Sunday night that allowed the Yankees to go 4-2 against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. Rodriguez's one-out single sparked the four-run ninth inning against Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton.

"It just seems like he found his timing," manager Joe Girardi said. "He had some time off and he was kind of battling a little bit. It just seemed like he really found his timing and had big hits all series long for us."

Rodriguez, who came back June 16 after missing four games because of tendinitis in his right hip flexor, has faced questions most of the season about his lack of home runs. His three homers on the road trip gave him 11 for the season.

"Certainly, we know it's in there," hitting coach Kevin Long said after Sunday's game.

Long and Rodriguez said they made an in-game adjustment Sunday on something the hitting coach believes has been an issue at times this season.

"I think it has to do with him getting in a better position in order to use his legs, which are going to be his explosion and are going to be his power," Long said. "We talked about it today. His first two at-bats, he wasn't even close to using them."

A-Rod grounded out against Clayton Kershaw in the first and fourth innings before hammering the lefty's full-count pitch into the seats in left in the sixth to bring the Yankees within 5-2.

After his home run, A-Rod could be seen talking to Long in the dugout. It looked as if he said, is that better?

"The first two at-bats, we were just awful," Rodriguez said. "We made an in-game adjustment, Kevin made an adjustment with my posture and my stance, and we put it to work. The last three at-bats were much better."

Said Long: "When he gets too upright, his leg kick gets real high and he's late, he can't get into his legs, and the way the swing works, if you don't have your legs and you don't drive into your legs, you're not going to have power."

Even without his typical home run totals, Rodriguez still has a team-best 54 RBIs. His 32 walks rank second behind Mark Teixeira's 45, and his .361 on-base percentage is the fifth-highest of the regulars.

Still, homers have always been synonymous with A-Rod, who has 594 in his career.

"I know he can go on a tear at any point in time,'' Long said, "and hopefully, this is a nice little run for him and he can just continue it. We have a nice off day where he can get some rest, come back and hopefully, pick up where he left off."

Notes & quotes: Results of X-rays taken on Brett Gardner's right wrist were negative. Gardner, removed from Sunday night's game an inning after being hit with a pitch, saw team doctor Christopher Ahmad Monday. He is day-to-day.