Yankees walk over Jays in final home opener

NEW YORK: Wang Chien-ming pitched seven strong innings as the New York Yankees ushered in the Joe Girardi era with a 3-2 win over Toronto on Tuesday in the final home opener at the current Yankee Stadium.

For the first time since April 1996, the Yankees took the field with a new manager.

Girardi was named to replace Joe Torre, who turned down a contract offer from New York following a third straight first-round exit in the playoffs.

Wang, of Taiwan, found himself locked in a duel with Toronto ace Roy Halladay.

Wang allowed just two runs - both on RBI groundouts - and seven hits as his teammates rallied with a pair of runs in the sixth and seventh off Halladay.

Halladay took a 2-1 lead into the sixth but served up a solo home run to Melky Cabrera that just cleared the right-field fence.

In the seventh, the Yankees immediately began another rally.

Alex Rodriguez singled and Jason Giambi walked. Following a one-out intentional walk to Jorge Posada, Japan's Hideki Matsui drove in Rodriguez with a ground ball that was bobbled by second baseman Aaron Hill, ruining any chance of an inning-ending double play.

Halladay also pitched seven innings, allowing three runs and seven hits. He struck out three and walked two.

The Yankees are expected to have a new 51,000-seat park completed in time for the 2009 Major League Baseball season.

AFP

(China Daily 04/03/2008 page22)