NEW YORK (AP) – Cory Lidle pitched six effective innings in his first start with the Yankees and Jason Giambi hit a three-run homer to help New York beat the Toronto Blue Jays 8-1 Thursday for its fourth straight win.

Lidle allowed one run and four hits on a steamy afternoon at Yankee Stadium in his first outing since being acquired from the Phillies on Sunday. New York sent four minor league prospects to Philadelphia for Lidle and right fielder Bobby Abreu, who had three hits and is 5-for-13 in three games since joining his new club.

Giambi also hit an RBI double during New York’s three-run sixth that made it 8-1. Craig Wilson, acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Monday, added a two-run single.

Toronto’s Ryan Roberts homered for his first major league hit. The Blue Jays lost their season-high fifth in a row and fell 8 games behind the AL East-leading Yankees.

Lidle struck out five and walked two to win his fifth consecutive start and continue New York’s string of strong pitching performances. Yankees starters allowed two runs in 19 innings in the three-game sweep of the Blue Jays, who entered play Thursday with a major league-best .292 team batting average.

The Yankees made Lidle’s debut easier with three runs in the first inning. Derek Jeter hit a one-out single off Shaun Marcum to extend his hitting streak to 12 games, tying his season high. Alex Rodriguez walked and Giambi hit Marcum’s first pitch into the bleachers in right-center for his 31st homer.

Marcum (1-1) lasted just 2 2-3 innings, allowing three runs and four hits in his fourth career start.

Brian Tallet relieved Marcum with two runners on in the third and walked Giambi on four pitches before Wilson flied out to right to end the inning.

Lidle (1-0) worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second and retired seven in a row before Roberts homered with two outs in the fifth.

The gametime temperature was 97 degrees as much of the East and Midwest continued to deal with a stifling heat wave. The Yankees offered free water at various points throughout the stadium, opened some air-conditioned suites to use as cooling rooms and aired public address announcements from manager Joe Torre and pitcher Mike Mussina urging fans to stay hydrated.

Some fans used umbrellas to shield themselves from the heat while others wore light-colored hats or towels around their neck. Misting fans blew cool, wet air on the players in each dugout.

Notes: Yankees RHP Kyle Farnsworth took a grounder off his right hand in the eighth and left the game. … Neither team took batting practice on the field because of the heat. … It was the first time the Blue Jays have been swept in a series of three games or more at Yankee Stadium since April 23-25, 1999. … In the deal for Abreu and Lidle, the Phillies received left-hander Matt Smith, catcher Jesus Sanchez, right-hander Carlos Monasterios and infielder C.J. Henry – a first-round draft pick in 2005. … Yankees 2B Robinson Cano singled twice and had an RBI grounder in his first minor league game since being sidelined by a strained left hamstring in late June. Cano is scheduled to play three games for Double-A Trenton starting Friday and rejoin the Yankees next Tuesday.

AP-ES-08-03-06 1634EDT