two in a row is a start...

Mike Mussina had not brought them very far, working only five and one-third innings against the Toronto Blue Jays. If the Yankees hoped to turn the game over to Mariano Rivera in the ninth, they would need eight outs from their middle relievers.

That was asking a lot, given the inconsistency of the bullpen so far. But the relay team of Buddy Groom, Felix Rodriguez, Mike Stanton and Tom Gordon preserved a one-run lead over two and two-thirds critical innings in the Yankees' 4-3 victory at Rogers Center. Rivera saved it in the ninth, with an assist from first baseman Tino Martinez.