Yankees win their season opener against the A's!!!

From Yahoo! Sports

NY Yankees 15, Oakland 2

Preview - Box Score - Recap

By JANIE McCAULEY, AP Sports Writer
April 4, 2006

AP - Apr 4, 1:47 am EDT More Photos

OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) -- All spring, Alex Rodriguez noticed a quiet confidence about this Yankees team that he had yet to see before.

It wasn't so quiet in their opener -- and manager Joe Torre might be right about this lineup being among the best he's had.

Rodriguez hit a grand slam and drove in five runs, Johnny Damon drove in a run in his Yankees' debut, and Randy Johnson exhibited the dominant form he lacked for much of last year in a season-opening 15-2 rout of the Oakland Athletics on Monday night.

"We have a hungry bunch," A-Rod said. "We've had it since spring training on. I see a different attitude."

Rodriguez's 12th career grand slam highlighted New York's seven-run second inning that staked Johnson to a big lead early. Johnson allowed one run and five hits in seven strong innings, an impressive 106-pitch performance for the 42-year-old lefty to kick off his second season with the Yankees.

"You don't want to lose your focus that you're going to cruise through it by any means," Johnson said. "I was able to get some easy outs."

The 15 runs were the most allowed by the A's on opening day, surpassing the 14 the Philadelphia A's gave up in a 14-8 loss to the Washington Senators on April 17, 1945.

"The thing that made tonight was how patient we were," Torre said. "There were some really good things that happened tonight. We got good quality at-bats and we never stopped coming after them."

Hideki Matsui homered on opening day for the second straight year, hitting a three-run shot in the fourth. He finished with four hits and four RBIs.

Damon doubled twice and hit an RBI single in the second to end an 0-for-16 streak on opening day as New York knocked A's ace Barry Zito out after 1 1-3 innings, the shortest outing of his career. Zito, tagged for seven runs and four hits, was done after 59 pitches -- the first time he hasn't lasted two innings.

"If this is any indication, this is going to be a fun year," Damon said. "It feels awesome. Since day one it's been great here."

So much for a close game in this matchup of two teams considered postseason contenders. Oakland general manager Billy Beane knew his team was in for a tough time starting the season against the Yankees.

AP - Apr 4, 1:44 am EDT More Photos

"It's like having calculus first period," Beane said. "You are not real happy when the alarm goes off, but by second period it's already over and you are running off to wood shop."

Frank Thomas hit a solo home run leading off the second in his A's debut and his first game since last July -- he played in only 34 games in 2005 with the White Sox because of separate left ankle fractures. The 37-year-old Thomas has 449 homers and his goal is to get to 500 before calling it a career.

Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams each added two RBIs for the Yankees, trying to win their ninth straight AL East title after losing to the Los Angeles Angels in the first round of last year's playoffs.

Jorge Posada was the lone Yankees starter without a hit.

Aaw posada I STILL LOVE YOU