CHICAGO — Going into Sunday afternoon it seemed logical to assume if the Yankees were to emerge from their recent skid, it would be because of the left arm of CC Sabathia.

Instead it was the bat of Melky Cabrera saving them from a four-game sweep.

Cabrera hit for the cycle, the first Yankee to do so since Tony Fernandez against Oakland in 1995, helping the Yankees to an 8-5 victory over the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field.

Cabrera went 4-for-5, which included a three-run home run in the second inning, and had four RBIs. Cabrera's triple, his first of the season, to right-center in the ninth completed the Yankees 15th cycle in franchise history.

Mariano Rivera came in with two outs in the eighth and earned the save, his 30th of the season.

The Yankees (63-42) stayed a ½ game ahead of the Red Sox and improved to 3-4 on this nine-game trip. They're off Monday before starting a two-game series in Toronto Tuesday.

The game was billed as matchup of aces with Sabathia battling Mark Buehrle, who had a perfect game July 23, but neither pitched to their reputations.

Buehrle gave up seven runs and a season-worst-tying 12 hits in lasting just 4 1/3 innings, his second-shortest outing of the season.

Sabathia, who came in 7-1 with a 2.84 ERA in his career at U.S. Cellular Field, failed to hold the 3-0 lead Cabrera handed him in the second, allowing four runs in the third, but he did settle in, giving up just one run thereafter. He went seven innings, allowing 10 hits and five runs. Sabathia walked none and struck out five.

The Yankees grabbed the lead in the second as Nick Swisher started the inning with a dribbler that eluded Buehrle, ending the pitcher's streak of 32 straight batters retired at home.

Robinson Cano followed with a single and Cabrera ripped the first pitch he saw from Buehrle, an 80-mph changeup left up and out over the plate, into the White Sox bullpen in left for his 10th home run of the season and a 3-0 lead.

The White Sox stormed back in the third, collecting four straight hits, including a two-run home run from Jermaine Dye — his 24th — and a solo shot by Jim Thome — his 18th — that made it 4-3.

The Yankees tied it in the fourth as Cabrera doubled to right-center and, after Jerry Hairston Jr.'s sacrifice bunt, came in when Jose Molina singled up the middle. Johnny Damon delivered a third straight hit to bring the lumbering Molina around third and across the plate, making it 5-4.

The Yankees added to their lead in the fifth, getting RBI singles from Cabrera and Hairston that made it 7-4.

Sabathia started the eighth but allowed a leadoff double to Gordon Beckham. For Beckham, a rookie third baseman and first position player from the 2008 draft to reach the majors, it was his fifth double of the series. Joe Girardi replaced Sabathia with Phil Hughes, who struck out Jermaine Dye with a 96-mph fastball, walked Thomas and struck out Paul Konerko looking.

Girardi then called for Rivera to face Carlos Quentin, who delivered a single down the rightfield line to make it 7-5. Rivera struck out Chris Getz with a cutter to end the inning. When Rivera retook the mound in the bottom of the ninth, he did so with an 8-5 lead, getting the extra run courtesy of Cabrera's triple and RBI single by Derek Jeter in the top of the inning.

Rivera walked a batter in the ninth but was not seriously threatened in recording the save.

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