Mussina pitched seven sharp innings for his 15th win as the Yankees beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Thursday night to gain a four-game split.

Mussina (15-7) shut down the highest-scoring offense in the major leagues, matching the Cleveland Indians’ Cliff Lee for most wins in the American League. Mariano Rivera pitched a perfect ninth for his career-best 28th straight save this year.

It was the fifth victory in seven starts for 39-year-old right-hander Mussina. He gave up eight hits, struck out six batters and stayed unbeaten in his last seven road outings.

Derek Jeter had three hits and drove in two runs, including a solo home run in the first.

The Yankees won for the second consecutive night and moved within three games of the idle Boston Red Sox in the AL wild-card race, while the Rangers dropped to 3½ games behind New York.

The Yankees have sputtered lately and had lost seven of 10 after dropping the first two games of this series. But they have now won four of six as they begin a three-game series at the league-leading Los Angeles Angels today.

Behind Mussina’s gem, the Yankees became the second team to shut out Texas this season. He fanned Michael Young and Josh Hamilton twice, closed three innings with strikeouts and ended three others on double plays.

The Rangers entered with a majors-best 651 runs and led in most offensive categories, including hits and extra bases.

But the lineup didn’t help Scott Feldman (4-5), who also pitched well but couldn’t keep pace with Mussina. He lasted seven innings, allowing seven hits and striking out four.

Johnny Damon had a run-scoring single in the fifth and Robinson Cano had three hits.

Alex Rodriguez, booed again in his latest return to Texas, went hitless for the fourth straight night and finished the series 0-for-14.

Jeter put the Yankees ahead by connecting on Feldman’s second pitch. Jeter served as the designated hitter after manager Joe Girardi decided his shortstop needed a rest from the scorching Texas heat.

The Yankees left town with a 2-2 start to their 10-game road swing. Since coming to Texas, they have lost pitcher Joba Chamberlain to the 15-day disabled list and had a close call with newly acquired catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

Chamberlain’s timetable for a return is murky after he was diagnosed with rotator cuff tendinitis in his right shoulder.

Rodriguez is expected back in the lineup tonight after bruising his right knee in a collision at home plate Wednesday with Rangers rookie outfielder David Murphy. He got the worst of the crash and is expected to miss two to four weeks.

Marlon Byrd went 3-for-4 and had two doubles for the Rangers.