Bronx, NY (Sports Network) – Aaron Hill tied the game with an RBI single in the eighth inning, and Alex Gonzalez brought in the go-ahead run in a five-run 11th, as the Blue Jays outlasted the Yankees, 6-1, to snap a five-game slide in the opener of a three-game series between the American League East foes.
David Robertson (0-3), in his second inning of relief, gave up consecutive singles to start the 11th. Both runners moved up a base on a sacrifice bunt, and after an intentional free pass to Fred Lewis, Gonzalez laced a line drive over the glove of Alex Rodriguez at third to plate Lyle Overbay.
Chan Ho Park, New York’s fifth reliever, took over for Robertson and walked Vernon Wells to force in Nick Green for a 3-1 game before Dewayne Wise’s bases-clearing double gave the visitors even more breathing room.
Shawn Camp, Scott Downs, Jason Frasor (3-1) and Kevin Gregg combined to allow only one hit with no walks over the final five innings behind Brett Cecil, who gave up one run on four hits and six walks over six frames.
A.J. Burnett, who had pitched to an 11.35 earned-run average over his previous five starts, scattered four hits and three walks while striking out six in 6 2/3 scoreless frames for New York, which has dropped four of six.
The Yankees scored their only run in the first inning without a hit, as Derek Jeter walked, went to second when Nick Swisher looked at ball four, advanced to third on a groundout and came home on Alex Rodriguez’s sacrifice fly.
Burnett stranded runners on second and third in back-to-back innings after the first, and Cecil survived a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the third, striking out Rodriguez and Robinson Cano before getting Jorge Posada on a groundout.
The Blue Jays tied it in the eighth, as Jose Bautista worked a walk, went to third on Adam Lind’s two-out single and trotted home when Hill’s dribbler got through the left side of the infield.
Hill had a chance to duplicate the feat in the 10th with Wise on third, but lined out to left to end the inning.
Before the game, the Blue Jays placed starter Shaun Marcum on the 15-day disabled list with inflammation in his throwing elbow, though the right-hander is only expected to miss one start…The Yankees also made a roster move Friday, optioning reliever Boone Logan to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and recalling pitcher Dustin Moseley from its Triple-A affiliate…Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira went 0-for-3 with a pair of walks, snapping his 12-game hitting streak…Burnett has not recorded a win since May 30…Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston was ejected in the 11th inning by home plate umpire Mark Wegner for arguing.