updated 6:52 p.m. ET Aug. 3, 2006

NEW YORK - The New York Yankees’ rotation is coming together and Cory Lidle is primed to be a big part of its success.

Lidle pitched six effective innings in his first start with the Yankees and Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer to help New York beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 Thursday for its fourth straight win.

Lidle allowed one run and four hits on a steamy afternoon at Yankee Stadium in his first outing since being acquired from the Phillies on Sunday. New York sent four minor league prospects to Philadelphia for Lidle and right fielder Bobby Abreu, who had three hits and is 5-for-13 in three games since joining his new club.

“Since the trade, I was just thinking about this day and mentally preparing to not get too excited,” Lidle said. “I knew I was going to have some extra adrenalin out there so I was really doing what I needed to do just to stay calm, you know, just try not to do too much.”

Giambi also hit an RBI double during New York’s three-run sixth that made it 8-1. Craig Wilson, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, added a two-run single.

“He’s a guy that’s not afraid to compete,” Giambi said of Lidle, whom he played with at South Hills HS in West Covina, Calif., and again with Oakland in the majors. “He’s not afraid of contact. He goes out there and he gives you a lot of innings and that’s definitely something we need, especially in the second half.”

Toronto’s Ryan Roberts homered for his first major league hit. The Blue Jays lost their season-high fifth in a row to fall 8½ games behind the AL East-leading Yankees and finish a 2-8 road trip.

“We knew coming in here it wasn’t going to be easy,” Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. “They shut us down. They shut down a good-hitting team.”

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Lidle (1-0) struck out five and walked two to win his fifth consecutive start and continue New York’s string of strong pitching performances. Yankees starters allowed two runs in 19 innings in the three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, who entered play Thursday with a major league-best .292 team batting average.

Lidle got off to a good start, retiring the Blue Jays in order in the first on three grounders.

“Right then, I knew that I wasn’t overthrowing,” Lidle said. “I knew I was getting that sink that I usually get so I was very comfortable out there.”

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