Nose-Diving Yankees Drop Fifth Straight
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TORONTO — The Yankees’ skid reached five as Alex Rios hit a goahead sacrifice fly in the eighth inning to lead the Toronto Blue Jays to a 3–2 win last night.
New York (21–29) has lost 13 of its past 18 to fall eight games under .500 for the first time since it was 11–19 on May 6, 2005, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
Aaron Hill also stole home for Toronto, which has won three of its last four.
Adam Lind led off the eighth with a double off Yankees starter Andy Pettitte, went to third on a sacrifice and scored on Rios’s fly ball to center off reliever Scott Proctor.
Pettitte (3–4) allowed three runs and six hits over 7.1 innings. He struck out three and walked one.
Jeremy Accardo (1–0) pitched 1 2-3 innings for the win.
Hill’s steal in the seventh gave the Blue Jays a 2–1 lead. Singles by Frank Thomas and Hill put runners at first and second with one out. Jason Phillips then grounded to third baseman Alex Rodriguez, who stepped on the bag to force out Thomas. Rodriguez threw to first to try to retire Phillips, who collided with Josh Phelps as the throw arrived, knocking the ball loose and allowing Hill to advance to third.
With the count 1–1 to Royce Clayton, Hill took a walking lead, then broke for the plate. Facing away, Pettitte didn’t notice until catcher Jorge Posada stepped out and waved his right arm. Pettitte threw home but Hill slid in safely ahead of the tag.
It was Toronto’s first steal of home since Shea Hillenbrand did it August 6, 2005, against the Yankees.
Derek Jeter reached on Toronto right-hander Casey Janssen’s error in the eighth and scored on Posada’s one-out single to tie it.
Shaun Marcum struck out six in six shutout innings for the Blue Jays. He allowed two hits and walked three.
Jason Giambi led off the seventh with a home run off Toronto reliever Scott Downs to tie it at 1.
Notes: Hill’s stolen base was his third of the season. … The teams combined for five errors, three by Toronto. … Blue Jays 3B Troy Glaus was scratched from the starting lineup with a tight hamstring, but entered as a defensive replacement in the ninth.
