Cone, Straw Work Yanks' Magic

July 1, 1998 / 1:39 AM EDT / CBS/AP

For once, David Cone was happy to have an early shower.

"I was (worried) a little bit," Cone said of the 50-minute rain delay in the second inning. "I was wondering how long I would last, but I was better after it."

Cone struck out 11 and pitched a five-hitter as the New York Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies 9-2 Tuesday night.

"I was just happy the rain delay came when it did," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "If it came a couple of innings later, he might have had trouble cranking it up, but it looked to me like he had better stuff after the rain delay than before."

The Yankees, swept in a three-game interleague series last season in Philadelphia, beat the Phillies for the first time since the fourth and final game of the 1950 World Series.

Cone (11-2) came within one out of recording his first shutout of the season. Scott Rolen doubled with two outs and Jon Zuber followed with his first home run.

"He was on target," said former New York Mets teammate Gregg Jefferies, who was hitless in four at-bats. "He didn't make a mistake tonight."

Cone walked none in his second complete game in his last four starts. He retired the first 14 Phillies before allowing an infield single to Bobby Abreu with two outs in the fifth.

Cone's recent pitching has led him to think about the possibility of winning 20 games for only the second time in his 13-year career.

"I hate to put numerical goals on the season, but it seems as if I'm in a good spot," said Cone. "I want to take advantage of this opportunity."

Darryl Strawberry hit a solo home run and an RBI single for the Yankees.

Strawberry ignited a four-run second inning with an opposite-field solo homer, his 11th, off Carlton Loewer (2-1).

After Strawberry's homer, Tim Raines doubled before the game was delayed by rain.

Chad Curtis hit Loewer's first pitch after the resumption of play for an RBI single. Curtis stole second before taking third on Scott Brosius' single.

Joe Girardi's infield out scored Curtis and Brosius scored on Jeter's two-out single.

The Yankees scored five times in the fifth off Loewer and reliever Toby Borland. Philadelphia pitchers contributed four walks and a wild pitch.

Jeter and Tino Martinez walked, and RBI singles by Strawberry and Raines finished Loewer.

Curtis greeted Borland with an infield single, and Borland walked Brosius and Girardi to force in two more runs. Borland's wild pitch allowed Curtis to score.

Notes: Loewer was making his fourth start and second straight against an AL East opponent. He was the winner on June 24 against Boston despite allowing seven earned runs. ... Abreu has hit safely in 14 of his last 16 games. ... Cone's 11 strikeouts gavhim 10 or more in a game for the fourth time this season and 51st in his career. He has struck out more than 10 in three of his last five starts. ... Cone struck out a career-best 19 Phillies in Philadelphia on October 6, 1991 when he was pitching for the Mets. ... Cone was 20-3 in 1988 for the Mets. ... Strawberry's homer was his first since June 17, ending a nine-game drought.