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Depleted Yanks rally late to beat Toronto

Sep 4, 2011 - 1:02 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Robinson Cano's two-run double put the Yankees ahead in a three-run seventh inning, lifting New York to a 6-4 victory over Toronto.

Francisco Cervelli belted a two-run homer for the Yankees, who have won three in a row and welcomed Alex Rodriguez back to the lineup. The star third baseman had missed the past six games with a jammed thumb and went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored while batting third instead of in his customary cleanup spot.

Cano batted fourth and his lone hit of the game erased a 4-3 deficit after Curtis Granderson was hit by a pitch with two outs and Rodriguez drew a walk. Nick Swisher, playing first base for the second straight day in place of an ailing Mark Teixeira, singled home Cano for a two-run edge and David Robertson worked the final two innings for the save.

Mariano Rivera and Rafael Soriano were both unavailable for New York after pitching each of the last two games. Robertson, who did not pitch in Friday's 3-2 win, got the final six outs to notch his first save since August 12, 2010.

The Yankees maintained their half-game lead on Boston in the AL East.

Dewayne Wise tripled, homered and scored twice for Toronto, which has lost two straight after winning three of its previous four. Adam Lind also homered in defeat.

Toronto starter Ricky Romero (13-10) worked 6 2/3 innings and was charged with five runs on eight hits, suffering his first loss since July 16 against New York. He had been 6-0 in has last eight starts.

Romero retired the first two batters of the seventh, then hit Granderson and issued the free pass to Rodriguez before being lifted. Casey Janssen took the mound and Cano, who had the go-ahead hit on Friday night, greeted him with a drive over the head of Wise in center to score both runners. Swisher followed with a run-scoring base hit to make it 6-4.

"He's a guy we thought could get out of that situation," Blue Jays acting manager Don Wakamatsu said of Janssen.

Robertson had a quick eighth before running into some trouble in the ninth. He surrendered a one-out double to Brett Lawrie, but retired J.P. Arencibia on a grounder and fanned Mike McCoy to end the game.

"I knew that I didn't have either of them," said Yankees manager Joe Girardi about Rivera and Soriano. "I wasn't going to pitch them no matter what. [Robertson] had a pretty quick eighth inning, which allowed us to put him out for the ninth. He did an excellent job."

Boone Logan (5-2) was credited with the victory after retiring the only two batters he faced in relief of Bartolo Colon. The Yankee starter gave up four runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out seven.

After a Cano double-play grounder killed a potential rally to end the bottom of the first inning, the Jays struck for a pair of runs in the top of the second. Lind opened the frame with his 24th homer and back-to-back singles by Edwin Encarnacion and Kelly Johnson set up an Arencibia sacrifice fly for a 2-0 lead.

The Yankees responded with three in the home half. Andruw Jones doubled with one out and scored on a two-out single by Eduardo Nunez before Cervelli followed with his third homer of the season.

Wise, who entered the game after Eric Thames left the contest early because of dizziness, led off the third with a triple into the right field corner and scored on a base hit by Jose Bautista to tie it. Wise gave Toronto a 4-3 edge in the fifth with his first homer.

Game Notes

Teixeira missed his second straight game because of a bruised knee...New York shortstop Derek Jeter also had the day off...Top Yankee prospect Jesus Montero picked up his first big league hit with a single in the sixth inning...The Yankees improved to a big league best 36-9 in day games...Toronto shortstop Yunel Escobar also left the contest because of a jammed wrist, forcing McCoy to switch from center field to shortstop. Wise, who had replaced Thames in left field, then moved to center and Mark Teahen entered the contest to play left.