After dropping the series-opener on Monday night to the Blue Jays, the Yankees found some late-inning magic on Tuesday night in the Bronx as they topped Toronto 7-5.
New York gave starter Joba Chamberlain an early lead as it plated a pair of runs in the first thanks to RBI singles by Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. The offense would get another run an inning later when Melky Cabrera scored Robinson Cano on a sacrifice fly to center field.
Toronto would get a few back in the third frame when Lyle Overbay spanked a bases-loaded double to center to tie things up. In the next inning, the Jays took the lead on a Randy Ruiz solo homer — the designated hitter's first of the season.
The Yankees stormed back in the eighth with a pair of long balls as Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada went back-to-back to take back the lead. Up 5-4 later that inning, Cabrera stepped in and singled home Jerry Hairston for the Yankees' sixth run before Johnny Damon plated Cabrera for the Yankees' seventh and final run.
Closer Mariano Rivera coughed up a solo homer to Edwin Encarnacion in the ninth to cut the lead to 7-5 but would hang on for his 33rd save of the season. David Robertson, who pitched just 1/3 of an inning in relief, grabbed his second victory of the year.
Chamberlain allowed four earned on five hits over six innings for the no-decision. Toronto starter Scott Richmond watched a win slip away from him after going six innings and allowing three runs on eight hits. Derek Jeter and Damon paced the Yankee offense with three hits apiece while Posada and Cano each notched a pair of hits in the win. The Yanks out-hit Toronto 14-8 for their eighth win in their last nine games.
