Blue Jays 4, Yankees 0
TORONTO -- Marcus Stroman pitched seven scoreless innings, Russell Martin hit a three-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 4-0 on Wednesday.
The victory in the rubber match of the three-game series gave the Blue Jays (87-65) a 3 1/2-game lead over the second-place Yankees (83-68) in the American League East.
Stroman (3-0) allowed five hits, one walk and struck out five.
Martin, the Blue Jays catcher, homered against right-hander Andrew Bailey to break open a tight game. The Blue Jays had taken a 1-0 lead in the sixth on a single by center fielder Kevin Pillar.
Toronto won the season series from the Yankees, 13-6.
Yankees right-hander Ivan Nova (6-9) allowed four hits, two walks and one run in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out six.
Nova walked Martin with his 110th pitch of the game with two out in the sixth inning. He was replaced by left-hander Jams Pazos, who was greeted by a single from shortstop Ryan Goins that sent Martin to third.
Right-hander Caleb Cotham replaced Pazos and Pillar slapped his first pitch up the middle for an RBI single by Pillar.
Stroman walked Carlos Beltran with one out in the seventh and allowed a two-out single to second baseman Chase Headley before ending the inning in a line drive to center by second baseman Dustin Ackley.
Third baseman Josh Donaldson led off the seventh with a double against Bailey and took third on a groundout to short by right fielder Jose Bautista.
Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was walked intentionally. First baseman Kevin Smoak struck out for the fourth time in the game as Encarnacion stole second.
Martin drilled a 2-2 fastball to left for his 21st homer of the season to give Toronto a 4-0 lead.
Left-hander Brett Cecil pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for Toronto.
Right-hander Roberto Osuna entered for the ninth and allowed a leadoff double to Yankees designated hitter Alex Rodriguez.
Catcher Brian McCann grounded out to short as Rodriguez took third. Right fielder Slade Heathcott took a called third strike and first baseman Greg Bird flied out to center to end the game.
Nova stranded six runners through the first four innings as the Blue Jays had four hits, a walk and had another runner reach on an error. The fifth inning was the first in which he did not allow a runner.
He was making his first start since Sept. 12, when he allowed seven hits and six runs in 1 2/3 innings in a 10-7 loss to the Blue Jays in the second game of a doubleheader at Yankee Stadium.
Stroman, who was making his third start since his return from knee surgery performed in March, allowed four hits through five innings and was rescued by a double play in the fifth.
Yankees first baseman Greg Bird led off the fifth with a single to extend his career-best hitting streak to eight games. However, Headley hit into a 3-6-3 double play. Ackley followed with a double, but the inning ended when shortstop Didi Gregorius grounded out to short.
NOTES: The Yankees' uniforms had No. 8 on the left sleeve to honor Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra, who died Tuesday. ... INF Darwin Barney made his first start at second base for the Blue Jays on Wednesday. He was acquired in a trade with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sept. 13. It was his sixth appearance overall at second for Toronto. ... The Blue Jays have Thursday off before opening a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday at Rogers Centre. The Jays will start RHP R.A. Dickey (10-11, 4.05 ERA) in the opener. The Rays had not announced a starter. ... The Yankees will start RHP Michael Pineda (11-8, 4.10) on Thursday at Yankee Stadium in the opener of a four-game series against the Chicago White Sox, who will start LHP Chris Sale (12-10, 3.47 ERA).