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Yankees sneak past Blue Jays, sweep doubleheader

Sep 20, 2012 - 5:38 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Ichiro Suzuki had four hits, including the deciding RBI single in the eighth inning, as the New York Yankees edged the Toronto Blue Jays, 2-1, to sweep a day/night doubleheader.

Earlier on Wednesday, Andy Pettitte spun five scoreless frames in his return from the disabled list as New York downed Toronto, 4-2.

Chris Stewart knocked in the other run for New York, which has won its last four games and sits a half-game ahead of the Baltimore Orioles for the top spot in the AL East.

Cody Eppley (1-2) retired the last batter of the eighth inning to earn the win, while Rafael Soriano worked a perfect ninth for his 42nd save of the season.

Steve Delabar (4-3) was charged with the deciding run to take the loss for the Blue Jays, who have dropped six of eight.

Both starters pitched well despite not receiving decisions.

David Phelps allowed one run on three hits and three walks while striking out six over 6 2/3 innings for the Yankees, while Ricky Romero surrendered a run on seven hits and five walks with five strikeouts through six full frames.

"There were a number of occasions where he made a big pitch," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said about Romero. "I thought as the game went on he got into a better rhythm."

After the Yankees left a man on third in the first inning, Toronto struck first in the second when J.P. Arencibia worked a one-out walk, advanced to second on a Kelly Johnson walk and came home on Adeiny Hechavarria's two-out single up the middle.

Jayson Nix was thrown out at the plate by center fielder Colby Rasmus while trying to score on an Suzuki base hit in the bottom of the second before Stewart brought home Casey McGehee with a ground-rule double to left field, tying the game at 1-1.

New York would then strand a runner in scoring position in each of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth innings, and the Blue Jays would leave the bases loaded in the seventh inning before the Yankees went on top in the eighth.

Delabar started the inning on the mound for Toronto and issued a leadoff walk to Curtis Granderson, who advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Nix.

Aaron Loup took the mound next and struck out pinch-hitter Steve Pearce, but Granderson stole third during the at-bat and came home when Suzuki slapped a single to left field.

"I don't know if you ever imagine a guy going 7-for-8 in a day," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said about Suzuki, who went 3-for-4 earlier on Wednesday. "He's just a heads-up player and you saw a lot of it today."

New York later failed to push across an insurance run as Nick Swisher struck out with the bases loaded, but the runs proved unnecessary as Soriano worked a 1-2-3 ninth.

Game Notes

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter led off the bottom of the first inning with a single for his 200th hit of the season. It is the eighth time in his career he has amassed 200 hits in a season, tying Lou Gehrig's franchise record ... The Yankees hit 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 12 men on base ... Toronto went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and stranded five ... Ichiro stole four bases in the game.