Mark of Zoilo: Almonte homers and singles twice in 1st MLB start, leads Yankees over Rays 6-2

NEW YORK — His day done, Zoilo Almonte stood in a corner of the Yankees' clubhouse and pulled out a cellphone. As his teammates showered up, got dressed and left, the rookie lingered in his dirt-smudged uniform, talking away.

There was plenty for him to talk about.

Almonte provided much-needed pop in his first major league start, homering and adding two singles Friday night that led New York over the Tampa Bay Rays 6-2.

"It was a sign that things are starting to be where they should be," Almonte said through a translator.

Almonte started in place of slumping left fielder Vernon Wells and quickly delivered, a day after getting a pinch single for his first hit. The 24-year-old was promoted from Triple-A this week, joining an injury-ravaged team that's had trouble scoring.

"I'm still a little nervous. It's not easy for me," he said.

Almonte also showed off a strong arm in helping the Yankees win for the third time in 10 games.

"He's been on our radar for a while," Girardi said, later adding, "the time has arrived."

David Phelps (5-4) beat Roberto Hernandez (4-8) and the Rays for the second time in a month. Tampa Bay was trying for its first three-game winning streak in June.

Phelps gave up two runs in 5 2-3 innings. The Yankees used four relievers to finish it, with Mariano Rivera closing in a non-save situation.

Before Almonte's solo homer in the sixth inning made it 5-2, the Yankees played a lot of small ball.

Robinson Cano hit a sacrifice fly in the first and Ichiro Suzuki got an RBI with a soft comebacker in the third. The next inning, Jayson Nix grounded into a bases-loaded double play for a 3-2 lead and David Adams followed with an infield hit for another run.

The switch-hitting Almonte went 3 for 4, making him 4 for 6 in the majors. His home run sailed over the right-center wall and was caught on the fly in the Yankees' bullpen by coach Mike Harkey.

Almonte said he would have his teammates sign the ball, then present it to his mother.

Asked if he'd ever had a better day, he said: "Today and when my son was born."

Almonte got a hug from Cano, his fellow Dominican, when he reached the dugout. Cheered by festive fans on a pleasant first night of summer, Almonte emerged for a brief curtain call.

Lyle Overbay singled home a run with two outs in the Yankees eighth. That gave Almonte one more at-bat, but he struck out.