New York gets help throughout the lineup in its 10-1 win.
TORONTO – The New York Yankees managed just fine without Derek Jeter, getting two homers from Jason Giambi and seven shutout innings from Andy Pettitte in a 10-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday.
One day after losing their All-Star shortstop to a dislocated left shoulder, the Yankees got contributions throughout the lineup and won their second straight game over Toronto to open the season.
Jorge Posada homered and drove in three runs, Giambi hit a pair of solo shots, Alfonso Soriano had two RBIs, and backup shortstop Enrique Wilson went 2-for-3 with an RBI double.
Bernie Williams led off the second inning with a double and went to third on Hideki Matsui’s groundout. Posada followed with a homer off Cory Lidle to make it 2-0. Alfonso Soriano added an RBI single in the inning.
Giambi led off the third with a homer and hit a two-out shot into the second deck in the fifth inning for his 20th career multihomer game. He also flied out to the warning track in center against Doug Creek.
The long balls spoiled Lidle’s Toronto debut. Acquired in the offseason from Oakland, Lidle allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings.
Astros 10, Rockies 4
HOUSTON – Jeff Kent hit a home run in his first at-bat for Houston and Jeff Bagwell homered twice as the Astros won their season opener, 10-4 over the Colorado Rockies.
Roy Oswalt pitched seven strong innings and the Astros roughed up NL Rookie of the Year Jason Jennings in their first home opener since their stadium was renamed Minute Maid Park.
Kent, the 2000 NL MVP, helped lead the San Francisco Giants to the World Series last year. He signed an $18.2 million, two-year contract with the Astros in the offseason, joining Bagwell and Lance Berkman in the middle of a powerful lineup.
Kent finished 3-for-5 and scored twice. Bagwell hit a solo homer and a two-run shot, while Geoff Blum also homered and knocked in three runs.
The Astros piled up 14 hits, including six off Jennings in a six-run third inning.
Bagwell’s 27th career multihomer game made him the second player in franchise history to hit more than one home run in a season opener. Roman Mejias homered twice against the Chicago Cubs in 1962, the first game in franchise history.
Houston and Colorado were the last two NL teams to start their seasons.
Oswalt, who went 19-9 last season with a 3.01 ERA, held the Rockies to four hits and two runs – one earned.
Jennings gave up eight runs and nine hits in four innings.
Kent homered over the right-field fence off Jennings in the second inning.
Houston blew it open in the third with four straight hits – singles by Oswalt and Craig Biggio, a two-run double by Blum and a two-run homer by Bagwell.
An RBI double by Richard Hidalgo and a sacrifice fly by Brad Ausmus completed the big inning for a 7-2 lead.
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