NEW YORK -- Mark Teixeira and the New York Yankees felt right at home in their new house. As soon as they got settled, though, it was time to say goodbye.
Flashing the power stroke that earned him a $180 million contract this offseason, Teixeira homered twice and drove in four runs to lead New York over the lethargic Chicago Cubs 10-1 on Saturday.
Derek Jeter added a three-run shot and the Bronx Bombers opened their glitzy new ballpark by sweeping a pair of exhibition games from Chicago. They made the $1.5 billion palace look like a Little League band box, hitting seven home runs in two days.
"I hope it's a sign of things to come," Teixeira said. "A lot of the balls that were hit out the last few days would have gone out on any day in any park, but I think this is going to be a good hitter's park."
Now, the Yankees have to leave for a while. They begin the season with a nine-game road trip before their home opener April 16 against Cleveland.
"I was talking that I had to pack for 10 days and I wasn't real happy about it," manager Joe Girardi said. "It would be great to stay here for 10 days and have a long homestand, but I think it's a good idea to play here a couple days. We all know that not everything can be perfect in the first run-through. Get those things worked out."
The Yankees head to Baltimore on Sunday. They'll work out at Camden Yards in preparation for Monday's season opener, with new ace CC Sabathia set to pitch against Orioles right-hander Jeremy Guthrie.
The Cubs were on their way to Houston, where they have a workout scheduled Sunday before Monday night's opener against the Astros. Carlos Zambrano, who pitched a no-hitter against Houston last September, will start for Chicago against Roy Oswalt.
"We ended a long spring with the worst game of the year. Let's hope we're more prepared to play Houston on Monday," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "Today was just a sloppy game. Our starting pitching in both games wasn't good."
Three of New York's four homers Saturday came off struggling Cubs starter Rich Harden, who completed a rough spring with another ineffective outing. The oft-injured right-hander was tagged for eight runs -- seven earned -- and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He walked four and threw only 41 of 76 pitches for strikes.
"I'm not happy about it. But fortunately, it's still spring training. It's not the finish I wanted to have," Harden said. "I feel fine. I feel strong."
The Yankees got sharp outings from Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett, two key members of their promising rotation.
Pettitte went the first four innings, yielding one run and six hits. Burnett was even better, striking out six in four scoreless innings while allowing two hits.
"I feel probably the best I've felt in a long time," Burnett said. "I'm very pleased with where I'm at going into the season."
New York's impressive performance was just one reason for fans to get excited. A crowd of 48,917 turned out on a 47-degree afternoon for the second game at the new Yankee Stadium, getting a taste of all its modern comforts and historic touches.
Jeter homered into the first row of right-center field seats in the third, his only home run this spring. Two batters later, Teixeira drove a 1-2 pitch over the Yankees' bullpen and into the right-center bleachers.
With two runners on in the fourth, Teixeira lined a 3-0 pitch into the second deck in right.
"I told him, 'Stop. Come out of the game. This doesn't count,"' Jeter said.
Shelley Duncan also homered for the Yankees, off Luis Vizcaino in the eighth.
Piniella looked perturbed when fellow ex-Yankee Alfonso Soriano failed to hustle out of the batter's box on his first-inning shot off the top of the left-field fence. Soriano took a long look at his drive and wound up with a single.
Soriano homered off Pettitte in the third.
Notes
- Chesley Sullenberger, the pilot who successfully landed his troubled airplane on the Hudson River in January, threw out the ceremonial first pitch and received a warm ovation.
- The Yankees set their 25-man opening-day roster after the game, with youngster Ramiro Pena beating out veteran Angel Berroa for the role of reserve infielder. To make room for Pena on the 40-man roster, New York designated RHP Dan Giese for assignment. Berroa was reassigned to minor league camp. Also, 3B Alex Rodriguez (hip surgery) was placed on the 15-day disabled list, retroactive to March 27. He is not expected back until May.
- Piniella tipped his cap to the cheering crowd after highlights of his career were shown on the giant video board in center field. "I've seen it before, but you always enjoy things like that," he said.
