Good thing for the Yankees that Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera have started the season in peak form, especially with their vaunted offense stuck in an early April freeze.

After Chien-Ming Wang pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and Hideki Matsui hit a two-run homer, New York’s top relievers closed out a 2–0 victory over the pesky Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday.

With manager Joe Girardi back on the bench following an illness, Chamberlain and second baseman Robinson Cano got the Yankees out of a dicey jam in the seventh. Rivera recorded three quick outs in the ninth, and New York won for the third time this year when scoring three runs or fewer. The Yankees were 6–36 in such games last season.

“You’re going to have those weeks,” Girardi said. “We got enough today and that’s what matters. This offense will break out.” Tampa Bay, which was looking for the best five-game start in its 11-year history, dropped to 3–2 after winning the first two of the four-game series. Girardi missed those games because of an upper respiratory infection while bench coach Rob Thomson managed in his place.

“Nice being back on the bench,” said Girardi, adding that his fever was gone. “It’s nice being out in that fresh air. Even though it’s chilly, you just feel better when you’re out there.”

Matsui homered in the fourth off James Shields and finished with three hits. The Yankees (3–3) have scored only 17 runs this season — no more than four in any game.

“Hopefully, you’ll see a lot more hitting from us,” Johnny Damon said. “We plan to score some runs here soon.”

Pitching in short sleeves on a 46-degree afternoon, Wang (2–0) held the Rays hitless until the fifth and took a two-hitter into the seventh.

* * *

BRAVES 3, METS 1

John Smoltz is back — and so is that pesky knot behind his shoulder.

Smoltz pitched five scoreless innings, Mark Teixeira hit a two-run homer and the Atlanta Braves beat Johan Santana and the Mets 3–1 yesterday to complete a two-game sweep of the rain-shortened series.

Santana (0–1) gave up only one run in seven innings, but Teixeira’s eighth-inning drive off Aaron Heilman gave Atlanta a 3-0 lead. Smoltz (1–0) was making his first start after opening the season on the disabled list with tightness in the back of his right shoulder. He again felt a knot in the trapezoid muscle and left the game after giving up only two hits and two walks.

“It’s all right. I just didn’t want to take a chance,” said Smoltz, who struck out six. “This is my first test. I didn’t fail it.

“It kills me to not go back out there for the sixth and possibly the seventh but I’m proud that at least I was able to say it’s getting stiff, and not make it worse. … I’m a seven- and eight-inning guy and that’s what it’ll be this year, but for the first start, I’ll take this.”

Braves manager Bobby Cox said he was confident Smoltz will make his next start.

“It is an important game but it is (Smoltz’s) first game of the year,” Cox said. “We’ll see what happens. He’ll make his next start.”

Rafael Soriano allowed Ryan Church’s two-out RBI single in the ninth before finishing for his first save. With runners on first and second, Teixeira made a diving stop of a sharp grounder by Brian Schneider to end the game. “I was playing one step toward the line,” Teixeira said. “I just didn’t want a cheap groundball to get down that line. Brian hit it good, but I just wanted to try to smother it and get the out.”

Santana, making his first career start at Turner Field, gave up seven hits, struck out three and did not walk a batter.

“We knew it would be a tough game,” Mets manager Willie Randolph said. “I thought Santana threw very well, too. He kept us in the game.”

Yunel Escobar doubled in Mark Kotsay in the third inning for the Braves’ only run off Santana.

“They took advantage of a couple of pitches,” Santana said. “That was the difference in the game.” Teixeira’s shot just over the wall in right field drove in Chipper Jones, who walked with two outs. “I hit it good but I hit it high and didn’t know how far it was going to go,” Teixeira said. “It just barely got out of there, but those count, too.”