TAMPA, Fla. (AP) _ Ramiro Mendoza took another step toward becoming the New York Yankees' fifth starter.

Mendoza allowed one hit over five shutout innings Monday night in New York's 5-1 win over the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, the Yankees' fifth straight win.

``Given the situation right now, I like Mendoza as the fifth starter,'' Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.

In his past two starts, Mendoza has give up four hits in 10 scoreless innings.

The Yankees will start the season using a four-man rotation and won't need a fifth starter until around April 15.

Dan Wheeler, bidding to become Tampa Bay's fourth or fifth starter, gave up three runs and six hits in 5 2-3 innings.

Paul O'Neill went 3-for-3 with a solo homer and three RBIs for the Yankees. He had RBI singles in the third and seventh innings, and homered in the sixth.

Chuck Knoblauch went 3-for-4, including a run-scoring single in the seventh.

With the Devil Rays trailing 1-0, center fielder Gerald Williams, a former Yankee, threw out Jorge Posada out at the plate on Knoblauch's single.

It was expected Ed Yarnall would secure the Yankees' No. 5 spot, left vacant after Hideki Irabu was traded to Montreal. However, the left-hander has allowed 25 runs in 9 1-3 innings and will remain in Florida when the Yankees break camp Wednesday for exhibition games at Houston and San Francisco.

``There's time to get him right,'' Cashman said. ``Right now, he's not ready to go north with us, I think. Eddie Yarnall will pitch in the big leagues for quite sometime. It might be mid-April before that time starts in 2000.''

Cashman currently has no plans to fill the fifth spot through a trade.

``I don't have anything at this particular moment in time that I could do,'' Cashman said. ``That would lead me to believe that what we have is coming from within.''

Yankees reliever Allen Watson, coming off a shoulder injury, allowed one hit and one walk during in a scoreless sixth. It was the first time the left-hander has worked in consecutive games this spring.

``I'm ready,'' Watson said. ``I felt fine, strong and no pain.''

Tampa Bay DH Jose Canseco went 0-for-4 and struck out three times. Notes:@ Tampa Bay LHP Wilson Alvarez (shoulder) is expected to start the season on the disabled list. ... Yankees 3B Scott Brosius has a mild hamstring injury and could return Wednesday. ... Devil Rays RHP Juan Guzman (back) threw three innings in a simulated game. ... Tampa Bay 3B Vinny Castilla remains sidelined by soreness near his rib cage. ... Yankees 1B Nick Johnson (wrist), sidelined the past 17 days, could resume swinging a bat next week. ... Biff Henderson from the David Letterman Show videotaped several comedy skits, including one involving Yankees coach Don Zimmer on the cover of Playgirl magazine.