Redbirds slip past Yankees

~ Newcomer Sidney Ponson was sharp in St. Louis' 4-3 victory.

TAMPA, Fla. -- The New York Yankees were happy with Randy Johnson's outing and worried about Johnny Damon's shoulder.

Johnson cruised through four efficient innings before tiring in the fifth, and New York lost to the St. Louis Cardinals 4-3 Tuesday.

Damon, playing for the United States in the World Baseball Classic, was New York's biggest acquisition of the offseason. He has a sore left shoulder, the same one that hindered him late last year and weakened an already inferior throwing arm. He sat out Monday night's 7-3 loss to South Korea.

U.S. team spokesman Rob Butcher said Damon's latest ailment does not appear to be a serious injury.

The Yankees did get an encouraging performance from Johnson, who threw 49 of 67 pitches for strikes and became the first New York starter to last five innings this spring.

Johnson was in control until giving up a home run to Chris Duncan with one out in the fifth. The Big Unit yielded three more hits in a row and another run before retiring Scott Rolen on a warning-track fly with the bases loaded that ended the inning.

Cardinals starter Sidney Ponson, vying for the fifth spot in the rotation, allowed one run and two hits in four innings.

"I'm pretty happy with the way I threw," Ponson said.

St. Louis closer Jason Isringhausen followed with a scoreless inning. Anthony Reyes allowed two runs and five hits in four innings. He has an 8.68 ERA.