Dinoer Navarro lofted an RBI single into right field to score Jose Bautista with the game-winning run in the top of the ninth as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 5-4 in the rubber game of the weekend series. With the win, the Blue Jays stake claim to sole possession of second place in the A.L. East.
Bautista reached on a fielder's choice with one out and a runner at first in the ninth. He then stole second and scored when Navarro's single landed just out of reach of right fielder Zelous Wheeler.
Toronto started the scoring in the first with an RBI groundout from Bautista. They took a 2-0 lead when Juan Francisco launched a tape-measure shot (16) into the second deck down the right-field line in the top of the fifth.
Chase Headley and Francisco Cervelli went back-to-back to tie it in the bottom of the fifth. Headley hit his eighth home run of the year and first as a Yankee; Cervelli hit his first of the season. The scoring went seesaw from then on with each team alternating runs to make it 4-4 after eight innings.
Neither starting pitcher figured in the decision. Toronto's J.A. Happ allowed three runs in 5.1 innings as did New York's Shane Greene.
Aaron Sanchez (W: 1-0, 2.25 ERA) picked up his first Major League win with two innings of one-run ball in just his second Major League appearance. Closer Casey Janssen saved his 16th game of the season with a perfect ninth inning.
David Robertson (L: 1-3, 2.50) allowed Navarro's ninth-inning RBI to take the loss.
Toronto now trails the Baltimore Orioles by 2.5 games. New York is 3.5 games out pending the outcome of Baltimore's game in Seattle.
Toronto will head to Fenway Park for three with the Boston Red Sox while the Yankees travel to Arlington for three with the Texas Rangers. Both series begin Monday night.