Yankees 3, Blue Jays 2
TORONTO -- Brian McCann tied the score with a sixth-inning homer, Jacoby Ellsbury singled in the go-ahead run in the seventh and the New York Yankees defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Jose Bautista hit a two-run double in the third inning to give the Blue Jays (3-5) a 2-1 lead in the opener of the three-game series against the Yankees (4-2).
The Blue Jays have lost three of the first four games on a six-game homestand.
Neither starter factored in the decision.
Yankees right-hander Masahiro Tanaka allowed three hits, four walks and two runs while striking out six in five innings.
Blue Jays right-hander Aaron Sanchez gave up two runs (one earned), three hits and three walks in six innings. He struck out five.
McCann hit his second homer of the season on a 3-2 pitch with two outs in the sixth to tie the score at 2.
Right-hander Johnny Barbato (1-0) replaced Tanaka to open the sixth and allowed only a walk in one inning.
Left-hander Brett Cecil (0-2) took the loss for Toronto, allowing a leadoff single to Chase Headley followed by a walk to Starlin Castro in the seventh.
Didi Gregorius sacrificed the runners to second and third. Ellsbury blooped a 3-2 pitch to shallow left to put New York into the lead.
Cecil struck out Brett Gardner as Ellsbury stole second. Right-hander Jesse Chavez retired Alex Rodriguez on a grounder to end the inning.
Left-hander Chasen Shreve walked Josh Donaldson with two outs in the seventh and the Yankees brought in right-hander Dellin Betances to face Bautista. Donaldson stole second as Bautista worked the count to 3-1 before Betances came back to end the inning with a called third strike on Bautista.
Left-hander Andrew Miller pitched the ninth for his second save of the season.
The Yankees scored an unearned run in the second.
Sanchez walked McCann, induced a comebacker from Carlos Beltran and walked Headley. Sanchez's throw to second on a pickoff attempt went into center field for an error that put the runners at second and third.
McCann scored on Castro's groundout to second.
Bautista hit a two-run double in the third to give the Blue Jays the lead. The drive to center scored Kevin Pillar, who was hit by a pitch to lead off the inning, and Donaldson, who singled.
NOTES: The Blue Jays extended their agreement with Triple-A Buffalo by two years through the 2018 season, it was announced Tuesday. ... Stephen Brooks has resigned as Blue Jays senior vice president of business operations, the club confirmed. Brooks oversaw the installation of the dirt infield at Rogers Centre during the offseason. ... Yankees RHP Nick Rumbelow will have Tommy John surgery on Friday after injuring his elbow while pitching for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. ... The Yankees announced that they have reached a tentative agreement with the Tampa Sports Authority to remain at Steinbrenner Field through 2046 with a $40 million renovation of the facility to be completed by March. ... The Blue Jays will start LHP J.A. Happ (0-0, 3.00 ERA) against Yankees RHP Michael Pineda (1-0, 10.80 ERA) in the second game of a three-game series.