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Sabathia leads Yankees past Blue Jays

Jul 17, 2011 - 4:10 AM Toronto, ON (Sports Network) - CC Sabathia tossed eight innings of one-run ball as the Yankees took a 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays in the third portion of a four-game series.

Sabathia (14-4) allowed just three hits and three walks while striking out eight to extend his personal win streak to seven straight starts. Sabathia said his slider was a big asset.

"It was pretty good today," he said. "It's been a lot better the last couple of games, but today it worked pretty good. We were able to use it with two strikes."

Mariano Rivera threw a scoreless ninth inning to earn his 23rd save of the year as New York won for the third time in five games.

Ricky Romero (7-9) allowed four runs -- three earned -- on six hits and three walks while fanning seven through five innings. He's 0-2 over his last three starts.

"That happens to guys, they go through stretches where their touch and their feel isn't quite as consistent," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "When he didn't make some quality pitches they would find a way to fight some pitches off."

Yunel Escobar knocked in the lone run for Toronto, which saw its five-game win streak snapped.

Rivera allowed back-to-back one-out singles by Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion to put the tying run at the plate in the ninth, but Aaron Hill fanned on a high fastball and a groundout by Travis Snider ended the game.

Rajai Davis walked to leadoff the first, stole second and crossed the plate on Escobar's single up the middle to give the Jays an early 1-0 lead and end Sabathia's streak of scoreless innings at 24.

But New York answered right back in the second to take the lead. Nick Swisher hit a ground-rule double over the head of Davis in center field and Andruw Jones followed with an RBI single into left field. Brett Gardner doubled to put runners on second and third, and Eduardo Nunez's high-chopper to third brought home Jones, making it a 2-1 game.

A Curtis Granderson walk and a Robinson Cano single put runners on the corners with one out in the third. After a Swisher strikeout, Romero bounced a curveball in the dirt and Cano made a break for second. Catcher J.P. Arencibia recovered quickly, and Cano was caught in a run-down between first and second. Granderson made his way towards home during the play and Hill's throw to the plate sailed over Arencibia's head, allowing Granderson to score easily.

Gardner hustled out a double on a blooper into shallow center to start the fourth, advanced to second on a Nunez sacrifice bunt and crossed the plate on Derek Jeter's infield single to extend New York's lead to 4-1.

Toronto's best chance to get back into the game came in the fourth inning. Escobar led off the frame with a walk and that was followed by a Lind single. After Encarnacion struck out, Hill hit a hard liner to third that was grabbed by Nunez. Escobar was running on contact and was caught too far off second as Nunez made an easy toss to the bag for the inning-ending double play.

Game Notes

Toronto third baseman Jose Bautista missed his second straight game with an injured ankle...Before the game, Yankees manager Joe Girardi made implications the Blue Jays were using electronic equipment to steal signs during the series...Granderson made his first career start at DH Saturday...Romero fell to 3-3 in nine career starts against the Yankees...New York improved to a major league-best 27-5 in day games this season...Sabathia improved to 11-3 over 14 career outings against the Blue Jays.