Quote:Yanks beat Rays, 9-5
Jeter drives in go-ahead run; A-Rod gets curtain call after HR in 8th; Mariano shuts the door
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

April 2, 2007, 5:24 PM EDT

On an emotional opening day, the New York Yankees got big hits from Jason Giambi and Alex Rodriguez -- and even a few encouraging innings from Carl Pavano.

The oft-injured Pavano pitched his first major league game since June 2005 and Giambi hit a go-ahead single in the seventh for his third RBI, leading New York past the baby-faced Tampa Bay Devil Rays 9-5 Monday.

With owner George Steinbrenner watching from his luxury suite behind home plate, Rodriguez homered and Derek Jeter had a two-run single to help the Yankees win their 10th straight home opener.

Elijah Dukes homered off Pavano for his first major league hit, and fellow Tampa Bay prospect B.J. Upton had two hits, an RBI and a stolen base. The Devil Rays, who fielded the youngest opening-day lineup since the 1983 Minnesota Twins, led 5-3 before Scott Kazmir and his bullpen faltered.

Luis Vizcaino worked a perfect seventh for the victory in his Yankees debut. Kyle Farnsworth tossed a scoreless eighth, and Mariano Rivera struck out all three batters in the ninth.

Giambi, who also hit a two-run single in the first, was a big part of the touching pregame ceremonies. After a video tribute to Cory Lidle, Giambi escorted the pitcher's wife, Melanie, and 6-year-old son, Christopher, toward the mound before they threw out ceremonial first pitches.

Giambi and Lidle were old friends and high school teammates. The 34-year-old right-hander was killed in a plane crash Oct. 11 in New York after finishing last season with the Yankees. His locker at Yankee Stadium will remain unoccupied all season, and the team is wearing black armbands on their jerseys in memory of him.

"That was probably one of the single hardest things I've had to do in my life," Giambi said.

The Yankees also welcomed back longtime player and broadcaster Bobby Murcer, who is fighting cancer but appeared in good spirits. In addition, they held a moment of silence for former star Hank Bauer and baseball commissioner Bowie Kuhn, both of whom died recently.

Another familiar Yankee, Bernie Williams, was missing at opening day for the first time since 1991.

The veteran outfielder and fan favorite declined the club's offer of a minor league contract and never came to spring training. But he called manager Joe Torre on Monday morning to wish him luck, then chatted with Jorge Posada and Jeter.

Posada also homered for the Yankees, who have won 21 of their past 24 home openers. Center fielder Johnny Damon left in the sixth with cramps in both calves.

Despite some sloppy defense behind him, Pavano carried a 3-1 lead into the fifth before running into trouble. Carl Crawford's RBI single tied it and Rocco Baldelli chased Pavano with a run-scoring single that gave Tampa Bay the lead.

Delmon Young's RBI single off Brian Bruney made it 5-3, but Jeter tied it with a two-run single off Shawn Camp in the sixth.

Since his previous big league outing on June 27, 2005, Pavano was sidelined by injuries to his shoulder, back, buttocks, elbow and ribs. He had a setback while rehabilitating in Florida when he got into a car accident, which he initially kept from the team.

His absence drew the ire of impatient fans and even a few teammates. Early in spring training, Mike Mussina said Pavano had to prove his resolve and earn the club's trust. The two met the next day and straightened everything out.

But in an ironic twist, Pavano was handed his unlikely opening-day assignment because several OTHER Yankees pitchers got hurt this spring while he finally stayed healthy and on schedule.It was the first time New York's opening-day starter hadn't started a major league game the year before since Hippo Vaughn was on the mound in 1910, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Pavano allowed five runs -- four earned -- and six hits in 4 1-3 innings. After 73 pitches, he left to a mix of cheers and boos.

With the score tied at 5, Rodriguez opened the seventh with a hard shot that caromed off shortstop Ben Zobrist for a single. Rodriguez stole second and scored on Giambi's single off loser Brian Stokes.

Bobby Abreu added an RBI single off Ruddy Lugo in the eighth and Rodriguez hit a two-run shot to left-center, making it 9-5. Rodriguez, who committed an error in the first inning, came out for a curtain call. Notes: Lidle's parents and twin brother also stood near the Yankees' dugout during the pregame tribute. The family stayed for the game and watched from a suite. ... The average age of players in Tampa Bay's lineup was 24.79. ... Jeter committed one of New York's three errors.

Copyright 2007 Newsday Inc.

Gooch Wrote:did you sigh audibly when you thought it was his turn to buy the next pitcher?