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Rodriguez sparks another Yankees comeback vs. Blue Jays

Jul 19, 2007 - 3:43 AM BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- The ball did not quite have the distance of another home run, but when Alex Rodriguez swung, the New York Yankees were on their way to another victory.

Rodriguez lined a go-ahead, two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Yankees rallied for a 6-1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in the third game of an important four-game series on Wednesday night.

On a day in which American League wild-card leader Cleveland was handed a 5-1 loss by Chicago and American League East Division frontrunner Boston was dealt a 6-5 setback by Kansas City, New York was stifled for six innings by Toronto starter Shaun Marcum (5-4). The Yankees had recorded just two hits off Marcum, put four runners on base and hit into three double plays.

"It was a great comeback, considering Marcum was so good," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He threw a lot of changeups. When he spotted the fastball, he made good pitches with it. We just couldn't do anything."

In the seventh, New York's bats came alive. Derek Jeter, who was 0-for-5 in Tuesday's comeback win, began Wednesday's uprising with a line-drive single to right field. Bobby Abreu, who had been hitless in previous 15 plate appearances, followed with another base hit that put runners on the corners.

With virtually the entire crowd of 52,147 at Yankee Stadium on its feet, Rodriguez stepped in. Looking to atone for bouncing into an inning-ending double play three innings earlier, Rodriguez lined a 2-1 fastball over left fielder Reed Johnson's head.

"I didn't really pay too much mind to that at-bat," Rodriguez said. "I was aggressive. He made two great pitches and I trusted that I would get another opportunity to help the team win.

"When I had a chance earlier, I hit into a double play. The guys did a great job of getting on base again, both Jeter and Bobby."

Rodriguez's hit knocked out Marcum, who lost for just the second time in his last 13 starts - a stretch that includes six scoreless innings against the Yankees on May 29 in Toronto. Lefthander Scott Downs replaced Marcum and allowed a base hit by Hideki Matsui.

"You just got to look back at the seventh inning and I just missed location (on my) pitches," Marcum said.

After retiring Jorge Posada, Downs walked Robinson Cano to load the bases. Brandon League, who was activated from the disabled list Sunday, proceeded to yield a two-run single by Andy Phillips, giving New York a 4-1 advantage.

"We've been pretty good at playing nine innings," Jeter said. "It feels to weird to say it like that, but we fall behind, we realize we have to (play nine). Today, we fell behind one run and we had a long way to go. Even if we're down late, we feel as though we're capable of coming back."

Mike Myers (1-0) recorded the final out of the seventh for the victory. He inherited a bases-loaded situation that Scott Proctor created and retired Lyle Overbay on a grounder to first.

Brian Bruney issued a leadoff walk to Aaron Hill in the eighth and was replaced with one out by Ron Villone. The lefthander walked pinch hitter Matt Stairs, forcing Torre to bring in closer Mariano Rivera for a five-out save.

Rivera worked more than an inning for only the sixth time in 37 appearances this season. After getting the first out, Rivera struck out Alex Rios with runners on the corners to end the eighth and set down the side in order in the ninth for his 15th save in 17 opportunities.

The Yankees, who won their fifth in a row, gave Rivera some extra breathing room in the eighth as Posada and Cano delivered consecutive RBI singles.

"They're playing good," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "They're on a roll right now."

Rios had four hits for Toronto and was involved in producing its lone run. He tripled off the left-center field wall with one in the first and scored on a two-out base hit by Troy Glaus.

That was it for Toronto, which has stranded 36 runners in the first three games of this series. The Blue Jays had nine hits in six innings against future Hall of Famer Roger Clemens but left eight runners on base against the 44-year-old - and 13 overall.

"In a one-run game in this place, you're living on the edge," Gibbons said. "You're one pitch away, especially with that short porch in right field, although that was not a factor tonight. They were mostly hitting it the other way."

"Marcum threw a great game," Overbay added. "We had every opportunity. Everybody did on the team, and we just didn't do it today."

In his eighth start since returning to the Yankees last month, Clemens allowed a season-high nine hits and one walk with three strikeouts.

"It was a great win," Clemens said. "Guys (came through) with another hard-fought win for us. We needed it, that's for sure."