Joba improves in 2nd start as Yankees edge Royals

[June 09, 2008]  NEW YORK (AP) -- Joba Chamberlain bounced back from a disappointing first start with the Yankees, pitching into the fifth inning to help New York beat the Kansas City Royals 6-3 Sunday.

Jason Giambi hit a tiebreaking homer in the sixth and Bobby Abreu finished with a home run and three RBIs for the Yankees, who have won four of five. Johnny Damon got two more hits after going 6-for-6 with the game-winning single in New York's 12-11 comeback victory Saturday.

Jose Guillen hit a two-run homer and Joey Gathright made three outstanding plays in center field for Kansas City, which has lost 17 of 20. The Royals also dropped to 4-29 at Yankee Stadium since the start of the 2000 season.

Guillen's third-inning drive put Kansas City ahead 3-2 and gave the outfielder three homers and nine RBIs in the last two games.

New York tied it on Abreu's run-scoring groundout against Zack Greinke (5-4) in the fifth and went ahead when Giambi led off the sixth with his team-best 14th homer of the season.

Working under a strict pitch count as he transitions from the bullpen to the rotation, Chamberlain threw 78 pitches on a 95-degree afternoon. He allowed three runs -- two earned -- and five hits in 4 1-3 innings, striking out five and walking one.

Chamberlain could be extended to around 90 pitches for his next scheduled outing Friday at Houston.

The 22-year-old made his highly anticipated first major league start Tuesday night and a sellout crowd gave him a standing ovation before he threw his first pitch. It quickly went downhill from there as Chamberlain walked four and lasted just 2 1-3 innings in the Blue Jays' 9-3 victory.

His second start had a much different feel.

The fans cheered from their seats as the hard-throwing right-hander fired a called strike on his first pitch to leadoff hitter David DeJesus. Chamberlain allowed a one-out single to Mark Grudzielanek but got through the first in 13 pitches.

Chamberlain, who labored through a 38-pitch first against Toronto, set the Royals down in order in the fourth and left after issuing a one-out walk to DeJesus in the fifth.

Dan Giese (1-1) replaced Chamberlain and pitched 2 2-3 hitless innings for his first major league win. Jose Veras worked the eighth and Mariano Rivera tossed a perfect ninth for his 16th save in 16 chances.

Rivera allowed a go-ahead homer to DeJesus in the ninth on Saturday but got the win when the Yankees pushed across two runs in the bottom half.

Chamberlain, the 41st overall pick in the 2006 amateur draft, was converted to a reliever last year to help the Yankees bridge the gap to Rivera. Chamberlain made his major league debut at Toronto on Aug. 7 and went 2-0 with a 0.38 ERA in 19 games.

He opened this season in the bullpen but was stretched out over three appearances before he joined the rotation. He threw 62 pitches against Toronto.

Greinke allowed four runs and six hits in five-plus innings for the Royals.

Notes: The Royals optioned RHP Joel Peralta to Triple-A Omaha before the game and purchased the contract of RHP Jeff Fulchino from their top farm club. ... Umpire Jerry Layne was released from the hospital Sunday and said he was OK. Layne sustained a mild concussion when he took a foul bunt off his mask while working the plate in Saturday's game. Mike Estabrook replaced him Sunday and served as the second base ump. ... The 95-degree temperature was a season high for Yankee Stadium.

[Associated Press; By JAY COHEN]

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