Jason Giambi has been back in the Yankees’ lineup for a grand total of two games, and since his return to action from the 15-day disabled list, he has won exactly two games for the first-place Bombers.
Giambi played first base last night for the first time in over two weeks, and it was a combination of his bat and the leather he flashed in the field that enabled the Yankees to win for the 12th time in 14 games.
“My ankle healed a lot faster than anybody thought,” said Giambi, who went 1-for-3 last night and drove in both Yankee runs in a 2-1 win over the Rockies.
It was the first time Giambi played the field since he went on the 15-day disabled list for the first time in his career with a sprained right ankle May 22. He was activated for the 2-1 win Sunday over Texas, in which he smashed the game-winning home run over the right-center field fence in the eighth inning, but that duty was as a designated hitter.
Last night was his first action at first since suffering the injury – other than a pair of games he played there last week for Class-A Tampa – but the result was the same after Giambi ripped a two-run single inside the bag at first in the third inning.
“He wasn’t away that long and he had plenty of batting practice when he came back after those couple of games in Florida,” Joe Torre said. “I don’t think he’s there yet. I think his timing still isn’t quite there, but he’s given us a big lift the last two games.”
The 2000 AL MVP’s bases-loaded single scored Bernie Williams and Hideki Matsui for an early lead the Bombers would nurse the rest of the way. But Giambi’s contributions began even before that ball hugged the chalk all the way into right field.
In the second inning, Giambi’s ankle and reaction time were up to par when former Met Jeromy Burnitz rocketed a liner right at him. Giambi kept the ball in front of him and tossed to Javier Vazquez for the second out of the inning and the fifth of 12 straight Rockies batters to be retired to start the game.
In the top of the sixth, Giambi was there again to snatch a Todd Helton liner for the second out of the inning with Colorado leadoff man Aaron Miles in scoring position and the Yanks leading 2-1.