TORONTO (AP) – Bobby Abreu hit a tiebreaking homer in seventh inning, Johnny Damon made a great catch that saved three runs and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 Tuesday night to lower to one the magic number for their ninth straight AL East title.
Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui also homered for the Yankees, who would clinch the division with one more win or one Boston loss.
Derek Jeter forced Jason Frasor (2-2) out of the game by a lining a single off right shin in the seventh, and Abreu followed with a two-run homer off Justin Speier for a 5-3 lead. It was Abreu’s fourth home run since the Yankees acquired him from Philadelphia in late July, and gave him six hits in his last 12 at-bats. Matsui added a solo shot in the eighth off Brian Tallet.
Melky Cabrera’s two-run single in the fourth had put the Yankees ahead 3-2, but Gregg Zaun tied it in the fifth with an RBI single. Rios followed with a walk that loaded the bases and Damon, with his back to the plate and running hard toward the fence, stretched out his arm as he fell at the warning track in left-center to rob Russ Adams.
Jeff Karstens (2-1), making his fifth major league start, allowed three runs and 10 hits in 6 1-3 innings. Kyle Farnsworth pitched the ninth for his sixth save, eliminating third-place Toronto contention in the AL East.
Posada hit his 20th homer run, a solo shot off Shaun Marcum in the second. But Alex Rios’ RBI double in the bottom half and Lyle Overbay’s run-scoring single in the third gave Toronto a 2-1 lead.
Notes: New York 1B Jason Giambi left in the fifth inning with soreness in his left wrist. Before the game, he talked about possibly getting a third cortisone shot in the wrist. Giambi was replaced by Craig Wilson. … The Yankees’ Gary Sheffield was activated from the 15-day DL and could play 1B after the Yankees clinch. … Mariano Rivera threw a bullpen session and said he hopes to return this weekend. … The Yankees have won six straight road games. … Toronto has lost five straight to New York.
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