Even Bronx Cheers Missing for Giambi

David Cone might have been the only fan in Yankee Stadium not booing Jason Giambi.

Andy Pettitte put Tampa Bay in its place, pitching six scoreless innings and leading New York to a 4-0 victory Friday in the Yankees’ 100th home opener.

There was plenty of pomp and pageantry as Yogi Berra, Phil Rizzuto and Rudy Giuliani raised the American League championship banner. The sellout crowd of 55,771 seemed to enjoy the entire show, except Giambi’s performance.

“I just had a rough day,” Giambi said.

Giambi, signed in December for $120 million over seven years, was razzed as he went 0 for 5, dropping to two for 16 with no runs batted in.

After he missed a scoop in his first game in pinstripes, there were even chants of “Tino! Tino!”--a reference to the popular first baseman he replaced, Tino Martinez.

“I was trying to give them something to cheer about,” Giambi said. “Trust me, I’m getting on myself inside too.”

Giambi insisted the boos did not bother him.

“It’s OK, it’s OK. It’s part of the game,” he said. “I’m the new guy in town, and I expect great things from myself. It’ll get going.”

Cone had a much more relaxing time. The one-time Yankee ace, still looking for a team to sign him, sat in right-center field bleachers with the fans who used to cheer him.

“I’m pretty stress-free out here right now. It’s a lot easier out here than on that mound on opening day,” he said in the middle of the game.

“Everybody has been really appreciative that a former player would come out here and spend some times with the creatures,” he said.

The Devil Rays were trying to join the 1906 Brooklyn Dodgers and the 1952 St. Louis Browns as the only teams to open at 4-0 after losing 100 games the previous season.

Boston 3, Baltimore 0--Derek Lowe fell six outs short of a no-hitter, leaving after Tony Batista beat out a roller down the third-base line in the Red Sox’s victory at Baltimore.

A former closer making only the 23rd start of his career, Lowe walked Jay Gibbons to open the eighth. Batista then topped a ball down the line that third baseman Shea Hillenbrand decided to grab instead of allowing to roll any farther. But his throw was too late to nail Batista at first.

Minnesota 4, Toronto 3--David Ortiz and Torii Hunter hit consecutive homers in the first inning at Toronto, and Rick Reed combined with three relievers on a four-hitter.

Reed gave up a homer to Shannon Stewart on his first pitch but would up giving up only one more run--Carlos Delgado’s homer in the fourth.

Kansas City 5, Chicago 2--Mike Sweeney and Raul Ibanez drove in two runs apiece and Paul Byrd pitched six innings as the Royals won at Kansas City, Mo.

Byrd gave up two runs and nine hits for his first victory since Aug. 16 at Baltimore. It was only the second victory for the Royals in their last 10 games against the White Sox.

Cleveland 10, Detroit 1--Matt Lawton homered on the first pitch of the game and Danys Baez pitched effectively despite walking six in his first career start as the Indians won at Detroit.

A blustery, snowy day quickly became even more miserable for a record crowd of 41,248 at Comerica Park when Detroit center fielder Jose Macias misplayed Eddie Perez’s double in the second, which cleared the bases in a five-run inning that put the Indians ahead 6-0.