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Backed by Hughes, Yanks edge Jays

Aug 29, 2012 - 6:20 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Phil Hughes pitched seven strong innings and Rafael Soriano rebounded from a blown save Monday, as the New York Yankees held off the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1, in the second portion of a three-game series.

Ricky Romero (8-12) pitched well enough to get his first win since June 22, but Toronto's offense was limited to four hits, a night after the Blue Jays rallied for an 8-7 win in 11 innings.

Romero allowed five hits and the two runs over seven innings, while fanning six batters, but lost his 11th straight decision over a 12-start span.

"I've been working hard all week, the guys, everyone has kind of been helping me out through this," Romero said of his struggles. "I'm just going to build off of this."

Hughes (13-11) fanned five and the AL East leaders got perfect innings out of David Robertson and Soriano to win for third time in their last eight contests.

Nick Swisher singled in a run in the third inning and Curtis Granderson lifted a sacrifice fly in the fourth.

The Blue Jays, who snapped an eight-game road skid on Monday, got a homer from Adeiny Hechavarria in the fifth inning. It was the first long ball of his major league career, but the Blue Jays lost for the eighth time in their last nine overall.

Soriano gave up a go-ahead three-run homer in the ninth inning Monday to Colby Rasmus, but fanned a pair of batters a night later to notch his 34th save of the year.

"I think it's important. Bounce backs are always important to me," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Every once in a while they're not going to have that perfect day, and you move on."

Jayson Nix and Ichiro Suzuki singled with one out in the third inning. Nix advanced on Derek Jeter's fly ball to center field, then scored on Swisher's line single up the middle.

Steve Pearce, who was acquired from Houston on Monday, walked to open the fourth inning and went to second on a wild pitch. He moved to third on Russell Martin's groundout and came home on Granderson's fly ball to center field.

Hechavarria homered to right field with two outs in the next inning, but the Blue Jays made a crucial baserunning mistake in the sixth. Rasmus and Edwin Encarnacion walked to start the frame. With one out and runners on the corners, Yunel Escobar hit a soft liner to second baseman Robinson Cano, who made a leaping catch and then threw to third base to double off Rasmus.

Moises Sierra's two-out single in the seventh inning was Toronto's final baserunner.

Game Notes

Blue Jays outfielder Jose Bautista will undergo season-ending surgery on his left wrist. The team made the announcement Tuesday afternoon, and said Bautista will be ready for spring training ... Romero fell to 3-7 lifetime against the Yankees ... The Blue Jays lost for the ninth time in the last 10 tries at Yankee Stadium ... With first baseman Mark Teixeira expected to be out one or two weeks due to a strained left calf, the Yankees started Swisher at first base and Pearce was the designated hitter ... Hughes has won his last six home decisions ... Romero's skid is the longest in a single season in Blue Jays history ... Rasmus is mired in a 3-for-45 slump.