NEW YORK — Chien-Ming Wang pitched four-hit ball into the seventh inning and Hideki Matsui hit a two-run homer, leading the New York Yankees past the pesky Tampa Bay Rays 2-0 today.

With manager Joe Girardi back on the bench following an illness, Joba Chamberlain and second baseman Robinson Cano got the Yankees out of a dicey jam in the seventh.

Mariano Rivera recorded three quick outs for his third save as the Yankees, still slumping on offense, improved to 3-3. They've scored only 17 runs — no more than four in any game.

Tampa Bay, which was looking for the best five-game start in its 11-year history, dropped to 3-2 after winning the first two games of the series. Girardi missed those games because of an upper respiratory infection while bench coach Rob Thomson managed in his place.

Matsui homered in the fourth off James Shields and finished with three hits.

Pitching in short sleeves on a 46-degree afternoon, Wang (2-0) held the Rays hitless until the fifth and took a two-hitter into the seventh.

Cliff Floyd and Eric Hinske opened the inning with singles, putting runners at the corners. Girardi brought in Chamberlain, also working in short sleeves as he struck out Willy Aybar on three pitches.

Shawn Riggans followed with a line drive that appeared headed for center field, but Cano made a backhand stab and doubled up Hinske at first base after he wandered too far off the bag.

Hitting 99 mph on the stadium radar gun, Chamberlain tossed a perfect eighth to set up Rivera, who fanned two in a 1-2-3 ninth. The Yankees are 20-2 in regular-season games when Chamberlain pitches.

A trainer came out to check on Wang after he appeared to slip on the mound in the fourth. He stayed in the game, however, and finished with six strikeouts.

After beating Baltimore 6-2 on opening day, Shields (1-1) gave up eight hits in five-plus innings, struck out five and walked one.

Alex Rodriguez doubled with one out in the fourth, and Matsui followed with a shot to right, his second homer in three games. Matsui had a chance for a big day, but he struck out with the bases loaded ending the fifth.

Aybar singled with one out in the fifth for Tampa Bay's first hit, and an error by Cano left runners at the corners. But Jason Bartlett missed on suicide squeeze attempt, making Aybar an easy out when catcher Jorge Posada chased him down. Bartlett then struck out, ending the inning.

Rays center fielder B.J. Upton made a strong throw to cut down Wilson Betemit when he tried to go from first to third on Melky Cabrera's single with none out in the third.

Notes: Yankees 1B Jason Giambi sat out after tweaking his left groin while running the bases Saturday. Betemit started at first base. ... Cabrera returned from a two-game suspension for his role in a spring training fight with the Rays. Yankees backup 1B-OF Shelley Duncan began serving his two-game suspension for his part in the scuffle. ... Rays LHP Scott Kazmir (left elbow strain) came out of Saturday's bullpen session feeling fine and is on target to throw batting practice Tuesday. He could return to the rotation late this month. ... Mike DiFelice will start at catcher for Tampa Bay in the series finale Monday night, manager Joe Maddon said. The 38-year-old DiFelice was called up from Triple-A Durham on Saturday when C Dioner Navarro went on the disabled list with an injured right hand. DiFelice was an original member of the expansion Devil Rays in 1998. He last played for Tampa Bay in 2001.