NEW YORK - Thanks to Jason Giambi and Hideki Matsui, the runs came as fast as the rain for the Yankees.
Giambi hit a pair of two-run homers and Matsui had four RBIs as the Yankees roughed up the Cardinals 13-4 on a damp Saturday.
Ruben Sierra and Raul Mondesi also homered as the Yankees won their third in a row since manager Joe Torre called a team meeting after New York was no-hit by a record six Houston pitchers on Wednesday.
"When you're on the bench, you can feel a lot more electricity," Torre said.
With rain already falling and winds swirling as a storm approached, Matsui got the big hit in the first inning. His three-run double with two outs made it 3-0, and a pitch later the umpires called for the tarp. A delay of 1 hour, 27 minutes followed.
"We didn't slow down after the rain," Giambi said.
Giambi homered in the second inning and Matsui hit a run-scoring single for an 8-2 lead. Giambi's homer made it 10-2 in the third and the recently acquired Sierra homered for the second straight day in the fourth.
Along with his two homers, Giambi singled and walked twice. He began the day with one homer at Yankee Stadium all season. Giambi has threemultihomer games this year and 22 in his career.
"You know it's just a matter of time," Torre said.
A day after Roger Clemens earned his 300th career victory and got his 4,000th strikeout, the Yankees won with hitting. New York built an 11-2 lead after four innings, allowing Andy Pettitte coast.
Former Yankees star Tino Martinez did the only damage for the Cardinals, twice hitting two-run homers and drawing a big cheer from the crowd of 55,174 each time.
"You play hard for them and win, they appreciate it and remember it," Martinez said.
Matt Morris, who felt tightness behind his shoulder after his last start, did not return after the delay. Manager Tony La Russa called on Brett Tomko, who was scheduled to start Monday at Milwaukee. Tomko gave up a run-scoring single to Sierra in the first and absorbed a nine-run, 12-hit pounding over 51/3 innings.
RED SOX 8, ASTROS 4: Derek Lowe pitched into the eighth inning and David Ortiz hit a three-run double as host Boston beat former manager Jimy Williams and Houston for the second straight night.
Johnny Damon had three hits a day after his tiebreaking homer gave the Red Sox a 4-3 win. Boston has won seven of 11 after a season-high five-game losing streak.
Geoff Blum and Jeff Bagwell each hit a home run for Houston, which has lost four of five after winning seven in a row. Bagwell's homer was his first in 140 at-bats - the longest drought of his career - since May 5 against Pittsburgh.
Lowe got 20 of his 22 outs on grounders.
Boston, which entered with a major-league-leading .298 average, was held to three singles in the first three innings before scoring eight runs on four doubles and two triples over the next three.
CUBS 4, BLUE JAYS 2: Moises Alou hit a two-run triple and scored on a throwing error as Mark Prior and visiting Chicago ended Toronto's five-game winning streak.
Sammy Sosa missed his fourth straight game while serving a seven-game suspension for using a corked bat. The Cubs are 2-2 without their cleanup hitter, who did not accompany the team to Toronto.
Carlos Delgado hit his major-league-leading 22nd homer for the Blue Jays.
It was the first time this season Prior, the 22-year-old right-hander, did not last at least six innings.
Joe Borowski pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 15 chances.
DODGERS 5, INDIANS 2: Andy Ashby got his first win this season as Dave Ross homered and drove in three runs and visiting Los Angeles won its fifth straight. Ashby had lost his past eight decisions and had not won since Aug. 18. The right-hander gave up two runs and five hits in five innings. Former Devil Ray Wilson Alvarez pitched four hitless innings for his third career save and first this season. The Dodgers gave Eric Gagne, who has 25 saves, the day off after he pitched four straight days. Catcher Paul Lo Duca extended his hitting streak to 22 games - the Dodgers' longest streak since 1991.
ATHLETICS 5, EXPOS 4: Scott Hatteberg hit a three-run homer in the eighth, and Eric Byrnes homered as host Oakland rallied. Ricardo Rincon struck out two in a perfect eighth for the win. Keith Foulke worked the ninth for his 16th save in 19 chances, allowing a run-scoring single to Edwards Guzman before retiring Ron Calloway with the bases loaded to end it.
DIAMONDBACKS 9, TWINS 2: Luis Gonzalez went 3-for-5 with four RBIs in support of Miguel Batista for host Arizona. The Diamondbacks lost a pair of regulars who were injured running down the first-base line. Centerfielder Danny Bautista strained a hamstring legging out a grounder in the second, and second baseman Junior Spivey sprained his ankle in the sixth. Spivey was placed on the 15-day disabled list, and Bautista will be evaluated today.
GIANTS 7, ROYALS 4: Edgardo Alfonzo, who had one RBI since May 21, drove in four runs for visiting San Francisco. Rich Aurilia had three hits and two RBIs for the Giants, and Damian Moss allowed three runs in 61/3 innings for his second win in seven starts.
WHITE SOX 6, PADRES 5 Frank Thomas hit a two-run homer in the eighth to rally host Chicago. Carlos Lee hit a three-run shot and Magglio Ordonez also homered for Chicago. Billy Koch retired Ryan Klesko on a fly ball with the bases loaded to end it.
BREWERS 8, ORIOLES 3: Richie Sexson hit his 21st homer and Ruben Quevedo allowed two runs and seven hits in seven innings for visiting Milwaukee. Quevedo stopped a six-game losing streak
ANGELS 13, METS 3: Garret Anderson was 4-for-5 with two home runs and four RBIs, and Brad Fullmer hit his fifth career grand slam for host Anaheim.
TIGERS 9, ROCKIES 7: Eric Munson hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the sixth, helping host Detroit snap an eight-game losing streak. Warren Morris was 4-for-5 for the Tigers, who tied season highs for runs and hits (15).
National League
PHILLIES 12, REDS 2: Bobby Abreu and David Bell homered and Bell had four RBIs during visiting Philadelphia's 10-run eighth as it snapped a three-game losing streak.
One night after a bench-clearing brawl led to five ejections, Reds starter Danny Graves hit Phillies catcher Mike Lieberthal with a breaking ball to load the bases with two outs in the first.
Lieberthal, who tackled Adam Dunn as he charged the mound to start the melee Friday, trotted to first base with a smile on his face. Despite three more hit batsmen, there was no other trouble.
