Game 31: Yankees win 5-1

Despite scoring early against Erik Bedard (2-1), the Yankees' offense was shut down during the middle innings. Fortunately for New York, Chien-Ming Wang (6-0) was better, as the Yankees were able to win 5-1 Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees scored once in the first, aided by a Yuniesky Betancourt error that allowed Derek Jeter to reach first base safely. Following a Bobby Abreu walk and a Shelley Duncan strikeout, Hideki Matsui hit an opposite-field single to drive in Jeter.

They were able to move across two more runs in the bottom of the second. Morgan Ensberg reached base on another Mariners' error - this one by Adrian Beltre. Alberto Gonzalez then hit a single to advance Ensberg to third. Melky Cabrera followed with a two-run double.

After allowing a walk in the third, Bedard retired the last 14 batters he faced. He pitched seven innings and allowed three runs, only one of which being earned. The defense failed him, as they had four errors leading to two unearned runs. He struck out six and walked only one batter while throwing 103 pitches.

Wang was able to out-duel Bedard, keeping the Mariners scoreless through five innings, when Ichiro Suzuki single-handedly scored a run. He led off with a single to center and then stole second and third bases, sandwiched between a Jose Lopez strikeout. He was driven home on a Raul Ibanez single to cut the Yankees' lead to 3-1.

Wang was done after the sixth inning. The trainers were looking at Wang's fingers during the fifth inning, but he obviously continued to pitch. In his six innings, he allowed only three hits and one earned run. He also struck out five and walked two. He hurled 90 pitches.

Bedard leaving magically woke up the Yankees' bats. Ryan Rowland-Smith started the eighth inning and promptly allowed two-straight singles. After striking out Matsui, he walked Jason Giambi and was taken out of the game. Sean Green relieved Rowland-Smith, and allowed an Ensberg RBI single and a Jose Molina sacrifice fly to extend the Yankees' lead to 5-1.

Kyle Farnsworth pitched a scoreless seventh inning when the score was 3-1. He retired the side in order and struck out two batters in the process for his third hold of the season. Joba Chamberlain gave up a hit and didn't strike out a batter in his scoreless inning of work. Despite it not being a save situation, Mariano Rivera came into the game for the ninth inning and retired the side in order.

The Yankees snapped their three-game losing streak and improve to 15-16 on the season. The Mariners drop to 13-17 throw their first 30 games. Mike Mussina will match up against Felix Hernandez tomorrow afternoon at 1:05 p.m.

Notes: Robinson Cano, the game's worst player, had the night off. ... Jorge Posada has rotator cuff tendinitis and will probably be out at least five weeks. ... Bobby Murcer returned to the television booth to call tonight's game along with Michael Kay and Paul O'Neill.

(AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)