Blue Jays 8, Yankees 4
Brett Lawrie hit a go-ahead two-run double and J.P. Arencibia added a two-run homer as host Toronto averted a sweep.
Melky Cabrera went 3-for-4 and Colby Rasmus had two hits and scored twice as the Blue Jays rallied to make a winner out of Brett Cecil (1-0). The lefty recorded four outs in relief of ineffective starter Josh Johnson, who surrendered four runs on eight hits over 5 1/3 innings.
Reliever Boone Logan (0-1) took the loss after giving up an RBI single to Rasmus - the only batter he faced - before David Phelps surrendered Lawrie's sixth-inning double to left field that brought home Arencibia and Rasmus. New York starter Ivan Nova was charged with four runs on seven hits over five-plus frames.
The Yankees erased a 2-0 deficit on a Chris Stewart solo home run in the third inning and bases-loaded walks to Lyle Overbay and Eduardo Nunez in the fifth. New York added to its lead in the sixth on a sacrifice fly from Brett Gardner, who added two hits and a stolen base.
Lawrie's double capped a four-run inning and Arencibia provided the insurance in the seventh with a mammoth blast over the center-field fence for his seventh home run, tying Baltimore's Chris Davis and Cleveland's Mark Reynolds for the American League lead.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Toronto DH Adam Lind didn't register an at-bat, walking four times and scoring twice. ... Yankees OF Vernon Wells snared an Edwin Encarnacion fly ball to deep left field in the third inning and doubled off Jose Bautista from first base. Wells, a former Blue Jay, tipped his hat as the Rogers Centre fans jeered. ... The Yankees travel to Tampa Bay for a series with the Rays beginning Monday, while the Blue Jays open a three-game series in Baltimore. Toronto and New York face off again beginning Thursday at Yankee Stadium.