Yankees 5, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO -- Casey McGehee hit a three-run homer and Ivan Nova struck out 10 in 7 1/3 innings as the New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 before 45,582 at Rogers Centre on Saturday.
The third sellout crowd this season in Toronto saw the fourth win in a row for the Yankees, who lead the American League and the fifth loss in a row for the Blue Jays, who are last in the division.
Nova (11-6) entered the game winless since July 8 at Boston. In his eight previous starts before Saturday, he was 1-4 record with an earned-run average of 5.89.
The right-hander allowed five hits and two runs.
Rafael Soriano pitched the ninth inning to pick up his 28th save.
Left-hander Aaron Laffey (3-3), the Toronto starter, allowed five runs on seven hits and four walks over 5 2/3 innings.
His downfall came in the fourth when he allowed four runs.
Mark Teixeira led off the fourth with a single. After Robinson Cano was out on a fly to the wall in center, Andruw Jones walked. Jayson Nix singled in a run with two out and McGehee followed with his first homer of the season to put the Yankees into a 4-0 lead.
Chris Stewart doubled but Derek Jeter ended the inning on a groundout.
Nova retired the first nine Toronto hitters before Rajai Davis led off the fourth with second. He took second on a balk and scored on Edwin Encarnacion's one-out single.
Yunel Escobar was hit by a pitch but Nova ended the inning on a strikeout and a groundout.
The Yankees extended their lead to 5-1 in the sixth. McGehee doubled with one out and he scored on a two-out double by Jeter. Laffey walked Nick Swisher before being replaced by left-hander Aaron Loup, who ended the inning on a groundout.
Both teams were warned by plate umpire Jim Joyce after Escobar was hit for the second plate appearance in a row in the bottom of the sixth. It followed a walk to Encarnacion. Nova ended the inning on a couple of grounders, one resulting in a force at second and the other needing a nice play by Cano on a grounder to second.
The Blue Jays scored once in the bottom of the eighth. Davis led off with a double and stole third with one out. He scored on an infield hit by Encarnacion. David Robertson replaced Nova, who induced an inning-ending double play from Omar Vizquel who batted for Escobar. Escobar had a sore left elbow after being hit by a pitch.
NOTES: Jeter was the DH Saturday. ... Yankees OF Ichiro Suzuki, who Friday equaled his career high with five RBIs -- third time in his career and the first since 2004 -- was not in the starting lineup Saturday but entered the game in left field in the ninth. ... Toronto CF Colby Rasmus aggravated a groin injury in Friday's 10-4 Yankee win and did not start on Saturday. OF Anthony Gose started in center. ... Toronto recalled INF Mike McCoy and demoted RHP David Carpenter. ... Yankees RHP Phil Hughes (11-9, 4.10 ERA) will pitch Sunday's series finale against LHP J.A. Happ (1-0, 6.35 ERA).
