Giambi, Loaiza Break Out of Slumps in Yankees’ Win

Jason Giambi homered to end the longest slump of his career and Esteban Loaiza finally earned his 100th career win and first for the Yankees, leading New York over the Blue Jays 5-3 last night.Gary Sheffield hit his 36th home run two days after getting a pair of cortisone shots. Alex Rodriguez almost homered for the Yankees, too, but was robbed on a spectacular catch by center fielder Vernon Wells.Mariano Rivera matched his career high with his 50th save as the Yankees held their 4 1 /2-game lead over Boston in the AL East and stopped Toronto’s three-game winning string.Giambi had been 0-for-32, with 11 of those at-bats coming since he returned from the disabled list after being diagnosed with a benign tumor. Manager Joe Torre kept the former AL MVP on the bench the previous three games, but started him because of his good career numbers against Roy Halladay.Giambi made the move pay off, going the opposite way for a two-run shot to left-center in the second. Torre clapped in the dugout while Derek Jeter and several teammates came out to greet the slugger, who took a curtain call. Giambi later added a sacrifice fly.With less than two weeks left in the season, Torre is still deciding whether Giambi is swinging well enough to make the postseason roster. Giambi’s 12th home run was his first since June 20.Loaiza (10-7) outpitched Halladay (7-8) after finishing runner-up to the Toronto ace last year in the AL Cy Young voting. Halladay came off the disabled list to make this start and left after four innings trailing 3-2.Loaiza started for the first time since August 27, having been banished to the bullpen because of ineffectiveness. He won no. 100 on his seventh try – he had struggled ever since the Yankees got the two-time All-Star from the Chicago White Sox on July 31 for equally puzzling Jose Contreras.After fanning three on called third strikes in the first inning, Loaiza completely lost control in the second. He walked three, and Toronto scored on Kevin Cash’s sacrifice fly and a wild pitch. When it was posted on the scoreboard that Tanyon Sturtze was warming up for the Yankees, the fans cheered.At that point, Loaiza had gone to a three-ball count on eight of 11 batters. He did it only once more, retiring his final 11 hitters. Loaiza was all smiles when Torre pulled him after 5 1 /3 innings, and he tipped his hat to the crowd.Relievers Felix Heredia, Paul Quantrill, and Tom Gordon blanked the Blue Jays before Rivera pitched the ninth. He gave up an RBI groundout to pinch-hitter Chris Gomez.

Giambi, Loaiza Break Out of Slumps in Yankees’ Win

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