Posada, Wang help Yankees squeak past Marlins

NEW YORK (AP) -- New York Yankees manager Joe Torre and pitching coach Ron Guidry knew Chien-Ming Wang was upset after giving up a game-winning homer in the ninth inning of his last start at Washington. So they did some work on his psyche.

"We made sure right after the game to talk to him, to tell him we trust him and will continue to trust him," Torre said.

Wang appreciated the support and paid the Yankees back with seven innings Friday night in a 6-5 victory over Florida. Jorge Posada drove in three runs with a pair of singles, and some shoddy Marlins defense helped the Yankees win their third straight game.

Wang has emerged as one of Torre's most dependable starters. He's won four of his last five decisions and seven of the last nine. He threw 107 pitches in the loss to the Nationals, so when Guidry advised him he was coming out Friday night, he was a little disappointed.

"How many pitches?" Wang asked the coach.

"Eighty-five," Guidry replied.

"Then I have 15 left," the pitcher said.

"I give Wang a lot of credit," Torre said. "Last year, when he came up, to have the type of presence he did. You pinch yourself that he's a newcomer, a young kid still learning, instead of a seasoned pro."

Making their first trip to Yankee Stadium since winning the 2003 World Series, the young Marlins lost for only the second time in 12 games. Managed by ex-Yankee catcher and coach Joe Girardi, they are 20-8 since May 22 after starting the season 11-31.

Miguel Olivo hit a two-run homer for Florida, which opened the season with baseball's lowest payroll (about $15 million) to New York's major-league high of approximately $199 million.

Wang (8-3) allowed four runs and nine hits in seven innings. Kyle Farnsworth yielded Miguel Cabrera's RBI single in the eighth, and Mariano Rivera worked the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.

The Yankees took advantage of some poor fielding by Florida to score three runs in the first against starter Brian Moehler.

"We kind of gave them the game in the first inning," Girardi said. "We gave them six outs, maybe seven. You can't do that against that team."

After Johnny Damon opened with a double, shortstop Hanley Ramirez booted Derek Jeter's grounder for an error and Jason Giambi singled in a run.

The runners advanced on a wild pitch and, after Alex Rodriguez struck out, Posada singled off first baseman Mike Jacobs' glove for two runs. Errors by Ramirez and Jacobs loaded the bases, but Moehler (5-6) escaped further damage by retiring Andy Phillips and Melky Cabrera.

"Those were plays we should make," Jacobs said. "It could have been a much different game if we made the plays in the first inning. I didn't make a play I should have made and maybe they should have scored one run instead of three."

The Marlins came right back against Wang with two outs in the second. Jeremy Hermida and Josh Willingham had back-to-back doubles for one run, and Olivo followed with a first-pitch homer, tying the score. It was Olivo's sixth home run of the season.

New York wasted Phillips' two-out triple in the third but took the lead in the fourth on walks to Damon and Giambi and an RBI single by Rodriguez. Posada followed with another RBI single and, after Robinson Cano was walked intentionally, Bernie Williams delivered a sacrifice fly, making it 6-3.

The Marlins got a run against Wang in the sixth, when Ramirez beat out a bunt and went to third on a single by Jacobs. Ramirez scored when Cabrera hit into a double play.

Game notes
The Marlins entered 13th in the NL in fielding with a .980 percentage and 52 errors. ... Phillips' triple was the first of his career. ... The Yankees batted around twice in the first four innings. ... The Marlins came in with a .741 winning percentage since May 22, best in the majors during that span. ... Cabrera stranded seven runners, five in scoring position, in the first four innings. ... Damon reached base 10 consecutive times before striking out in the fifth.