BALTIMORE (Ticker) -- Credit this win to New York Yankees general manager Brian Cashman.

New York got a lift from a pair of offseason acquisitions as David Wells tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings and Robin Ventura supplied the offense with a seventh-inning homer as the Yankees blanked the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0.

Wells (1-0), signed as a free agent, was spectacular in his first start for New York since the 1998 World Series. He scattered four hits with a walk and a strikeout to improve to 8-7 lifetime against Baltimore.

"Tonight was the most nervous I've ever been," admitted Wells. "This is one of the greatest days for me. I'm on cloud nine right now. It's a great feeling," he added.

Mariano Rivera allowed a hit in the ninth but notched his first save of the season.

Ventura, acquired in a trade with the New York Mets, pulled an 0-1 fastball from hard-luck loser Jason Johnson (0-1) over the right field wall.

"When I hit it, I just hit it in the right spot," Ventura said.

The strong, swirling wind, which was changing direction all night, may have aided Ventura's blast.

"He is so confident in what he does," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He had a great game defensively tonight and his home run didn't hurt either."

"I didn't think he hit it good enough to get it out," Orioles manager Mike Hargrove said.

After Mike Bordick's one-out double in the eighth chased Wells, Steve Karsay and Mike Stanton each recorded an out to end the inning.

Johnson, who has dropped seven straight decisions dating to August, surrendered one run and six hits in 7 2/3 innings with a walk and six strikeouts.

The 38-year-old Wells got off to a smooth start, retiring his first six batters and 12 of the first 14. After Melvin Mora's leadoff single in the fifth, the lefthander did not allow a hit until Bordick doubled.

"He was stalking the clubhouse all day. I had a good feeling today knowing he was pitching," Torre said. "He was outstanding tonight."

With two outs in the seventh, Wells faced a small jam when Bernie Williams dropped Tony Batista's shallow pop fly and Mora walked. But Wells escaped as Jay Gibbons popped out to Ventura in foul territory alongside third base.

"He kept making the right pitches when he needed to," said Yankees catcher Jorge Posada. "He fought through the wind tonight, that made it even more of a great win for him."

Ventura and Alfonso Soriano had two hits for New York, which managed six hits and stranded seven runners.

"I knew it was going to be a tough one, Wells pitched great," said Johnson.

Jason Giambi went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts for the Yanks but did dig a couple of poor throws out of the dirt at first base.