Yankees 4, Blue Jays 3
TORONTO -- Pinch-hitter Carlos Beltran hit a three-run homer in the eighth inning and the New York Yankees held on to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 4-3 on Friday night.
The homer against right-handed reliever Aaron Sanchez (6-5) capped a four-run eighth for the Yankees, who ended the Blue Jays' 11-game winning streak.
New York (63-51) regained a half-game lead over second-place Toronto (64-53) in the American League East.
Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova (5-4) overcame a three-run third inning for the victory. Nova allowed five hits, one walk and three runs in seven innings. He also hit two batters and struck out three.
Blue Jays left-hander David Price allowed 11 hits, no walks and three runs in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out six.
Price did not allow a run until the eighth when he gave up three straight hits with one out. He entered the inning with a 3-0 lead as he tried for his third win in as many starts since he was acquired in a trade with the Detroit Tigers on July 30.
Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira and catcher Brian McCann singled with one out in the eighth and third baseman Chase Headley hit an RBI double. Sanchez replaced Price before Beltran, batting for right fielder Chris Young, hit a 1-2 pitch to right center for his 11th homer of the season to give the Yankees a 4-3 lead.
Yankees right-hander Dellin Betances pitched the eighth and left-hander Andrew Miller worked the ninth to pick up his 26th save of the season.
The Blue Jays threatened in the bottom of the ninth. Pinch-hitter Chris Colabello walked with one out and Cliff Pennington ran for him. Center fielder Kevin Pillar singled to send Pennington to second. A wild pitch moved the runners to second and third. Left fielder Ben Revere struck out to bring up shortstop Troy Tulowitzki with two outs, but he struck out on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.
The Blue Jays scored three runs in the third to build their lead.
Pillar reached first base to lead off the inning when he was hit by an 0-2 curveball. Revere singled through the left side of the infield to send Pillar to third with the Blue Jays' first hit of the game. Tulowitzki's grounder up the middle was deflected by Nova to Yankees shortstop Didi Gregrorius, who got the force at second base as Pillar scored the first run.
Third baseman Josh Donaldson then singled to left and right fielder Jose Bautista smacked an RBI double to left. Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion, who was hit by a pitch in the second inning, lifted a sacrifice fly to center to give Toronto a 3-0 lead.
NOTES: Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion (sore finger) returned to the lineup on Friday after missing four straight games. He extended his hitting streak to 12 games with a one-out double in the sixth inning. ... RHP Joba Chamberlain was released at Triple-A Buffalo on Friday. The Blue Jays signed the 29-year-old to a minor league contract on July 21 after the former Yankees reliever was released by the Detroit Tigers. ... On Thursday, LHP Andrew Miller became the first Yankees left-hander with 25 saves in a season since Dave Righetti accomplished it in seven straight years (1984-90). ... RHP Michael Pineda (right forearm strain) had a bullpen session Thursday and could return to the Yankees' rotation after a rehabilitation start with Double-A Trenton on Sunday. ... New York RHP Masahiro Tanaka (8-5, 3.79 ERA) will start the second game of the three-game series on Saturday against Toronto RHP Marco Estrada (10-6, 3.21).