Flying start Damon launches Yankees' exhibition season in style
TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- Johnny Damon gave George Steinbrenner quite an early eyeful.
Damon hit a leadoff home run, Jason Giambi also homered and Chien-Ming Wang pitched two perfect innings as the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins 6-1 Thursday in an exhibition opener.
Steinbrenner, who has rarely been seen at Legends Field this spring, watched from his suite on the first-base side of the stadium.
Damon homered off Carlos Silva to start a three-run first inning.
"It's only downhill from this," Damon joked.
Giambi, coming off surgery on his left wrist, walked in the first and hit a two-run homer the next inning to make it 5-0.
"I hope it's a good omen," Giambi said. "The wrist feels great. I feel good up there."
Wang, a 19-game winner last season, needed just 19 pitches. He began the game by inducing three straight groundouts.
"He wasn't down in the zone like he needs to be," Yankees catcher Jorge Posada said. "It's normal. First time out, probably felt too strong. But he got the ground balls, that's all you can ask for."
Silva allowed five runs and four hits over two innings. He threw 42 pitches, including 26 in the first.
Top Yankees pitching prospect Phil Hughes followed Wang and gave up one run on a hit and two walks in 1 1/3 innings. He struck out AL MVP Justin Morneau with his last pitch.
"He was high a lot," New York manager Joe Torre said. "He may have had some butterflies. He recovered real well. He struck out a pretty good hitter to say goodbye."
Yankees left fielder Hideki Matsui made a nice sliding catch near the foul line on Nick Punto's two-on, two-out fly in the third.
Twins left fielder Jason Kubel making a diving catch on Robinson Cano in the third. Kubel drove in the Twins' run with a fourth-inning single.
Andy Phillips, trying to win the right-handed half of the Yankees' first base platoon, will be gone for at least a couple days after his mother was seriously injured Wednesday in a car accident in Alabama.
"As long as he needs," Torre said. "We all hope and pray that everything will be OK, but it's pretty serious right now."
Notes: A moment of silence was held before the game for former Yankees Hank Bauer and Cory Lidle. ... Damon built a gym during the offseason at his Orlando home. "Look good with the shirt off ... wife still digs me," Damon said with a smile.... New York RHP Carl Pavano (bruised left instep) threw 45 pitches off a bullpen mound and is scheduled to pitch Sunday. "I can't wait," Pavano said. ... Minnesota LHP Dennys Reyes, who left camp for the birth of his daughter, is expected to rejoin the team Friday. ... New York RHP Humberto Sanchez (elbow inflammation) hopes to throw this weekend.
