Giambi Helps Yankees Past Mariners 7-4

Jason Giambi has caught fire again and is helping the Yankees hold on to their slim one-game lead in the race for the AL wild card. Giambi hit two home runs and drove in four to lead the Yankees to a 7-4 comeback win over the Mariners in Seattle. It was the fifth straight win for the Bronx Bombers.

Seattle took a 4-0 lead off of shaky starter Mike Mussina before Giambi's 432-foot blast to right made it 4-1. An RBI single by rookie Robison Cano made it 4-2 in the fifth.

In the top of the sixth, Ryan Franklin, the Mariners starter, issued one out walks to Gary Sheffield and Alex Rodriguez before Seattle manager Mike Hargrove lifted him for lefty reliever Matt Thornton. Giambi took Thornton deep down the left field line for a three-run home run that gave New York a 5-4 lead.

For Giambi, it was his second straight two-home run game. Sunday, he had two homers and seven RBIs in a 10-3 win over the Royals at Yankee Stadium.

Yankee reliever Aaron Small took over for Mussina in the fourth inning and earned the win. Small is now 5-0 this season. Thornton took the loss for Seattle, dropping his record to 0-4 on the year. Mariano Rivera earned his 34th save for New York.

The Yankees now trail the defending World Champion Red Sox by 1 1/2 games in the AL East. They hold a slim one game lead in the AL wild card over both Cleveland and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.