SPORTS

Jays end 6-game losing streak, beat Yankees 6-3

Howie Rumberg The Associated Press
Published Saturday, September 20, 2014 8:40PM EDT

Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Casey Janssen celebrates with catcher Dioner Navarro, left, as New York Yankees' Derek Jeter, right, walks off after the Blue Jays defeated the Yankees, 6-3, in a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 20, 2014, at Yankee Stadium in New York. (AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

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NEW YORK -- Jose Bautista hit his eighth homer of the year against New York, Marcus Stroman pitched six gritty innings and the Toronto Blue Jays ended a season-worst six-game skid to beat the Yankees 6-3 Saturday and keep their faint playoff hopes alive.

With eight games to play for both teams, Toronto is 5 1-2 games back for an AL wild card and the Yankees are 4 1-2. Seattle and Cleveland all played later Saturday night.

Danny Valencia hit a go-ahead, two-run double, helping hand the Yankees their first loss of Derek Jeter's final homestand after two wins over Toronto. New York had won three in a row overall.

With most of the 47,292 fans at Yankee Stadium standing and chanting "Der-ek Je-ter!" his every at-bat, the retiring captain doubled and singled for his third straight multihit game. He also scored his 1,920th run to pass suspended teammate Alex Rodriguez for ninth place on the career list.

Jeter hit an RBI double down the left-field line off Brandon Morrow in the ninth to cut the lead to 6-3 as cameras flashed throughout the packed ballpark. Casey Janssen relieved and hit Brian McCann with a pitch before getting two outs for his 24th save.

Awaiting word on his appeal of a six-game suspension for throwing over the head of Orioles catcher Caleb Joseph on Monday, Stroman (11-6) gave up two runs and eight hits. He struck out seven without allowing a walk.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said it's possible the rookie right-hander will drop his appeal after facing the Yankees.

Bautista scored four times and reached base five times, walking three times to pass 100 for the third time in his career.

Bautista connected leading off the seventh off Chase Whitley, giving him 34 homers and 101 RBIs this year. His eight homers against New York are tied for most against one team this season, says STATS. The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo has eight against Cincinnati.

Edwin Encarnacion had an RBI double in the first off Chris Capuano (2-4) but the Yankees took a lead with runs in the third and fourth.

Jeter singled off the glove of diving second baseman Steve Tolleson and scored on McCann's single after advancing on a wild pitch.