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First look Check out photos from the Yankees' first day in their new stadium.

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updated 9:02 p.m. ET April 15, 2009

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - The road-weary New York Yankees headed to their new home feeling pretty good about themselves.

That’s what winning five of seven following an ugly start to a nine-game trip can do to spirits.

“I told you our season wasn’t over after two games,” captain Derek Jeter said, smiling after singling in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning of Thursday’s 4-3 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays. “We’re just playing pretty good now.”

The Yankees took two straight from the defending AL champions after losing the series opener 15-5.

The trip began with consecutive losses in Baltimore, but manager Joe Girardi likes what’s happened since then.

“We knew starting out, nine in a row (on the road) was tough,” Girardi said. “We knew three in a row here was tough. We understand what a good team the Rays are. To start out 0-2 and go 5-4, I’m very pleased.”

Now, it’s home to New York for Thursday’s debut of the $1.5 billion new Yankee Stadium, across 161st Street from the house that Ruth built. CC Sabathia makes his first home start against his former team, the Cleveland Indians.

“It’s been a long trip. ... We look forward to breaking in a new ballpark,” pitcher Andy Pettitte said. “It’s going to be an exciting day for us.”

Pettitte pitched into the eighth inning, Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer and Jeter went 2-for-4 a day after hitting a three-run, ninth-inning homer to help the Yankees win the middle game of the series 7-2.

Jeter also doubled in the eighth and scored the tying run on Johnny Damon’s double off J.P. Howell. He delivered the tiebreaking run against Troy Percival (0-1) following a one-out double to Cody Ransom.

“It’s going to be like this all year in this division — a lot of close games,” said Tampa Bay manager Joe Maddon, whose bullpen was unable to shut down the Yankees in the late innings for the second straight day.

Pettitte, who allowed three runs and six hits in 7 1-3 innings, pitched the final game in the old Yankee Stadium last year but it wasn’t his turn to pitch the opener in the new one.

He has been tough on Tampa Bay, going 15-4 in 25 career starts. At one point he won 12 consecutive decisions, though the Rays have fared better against him lately.

Brian Bruney (1-0) struck out the only two batters he faced to get the win. Mariano Rivera worked a perfect ninth for his second save in as many opportunities.

“It all starts with pitching,” Jeter said. “We just want to get rolling and play, that’s the bottom line. With the pitching staff we have, we feel as though we’re capable of winning every day, regardless of what team we’re playing. ... It’s a good start for us. But we’ve got a long way to go.”

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Tony Gutierrez / AP

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