Chien-Ming Wang pitched eight more shutout innings to win his fifth straight start, and Alex Rodriguez got two key hits in a six-run sixth that broke open the Yankees’ 7–2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays last night.

Derek Jeter and Jorge Posada homered for the AL Eastleading Yankees, who won for the seventh time in eight games and improved to 10–1–1 in their last 12 series.

Bobby Abreu singled and doubled for his first two hits with New York, and fellow newcomer Craig Wilson added a pair of singles in his Yankees debut.

Coming off a two-hitter against Tampa Bay last Friday for his first career shutout, Wang (13–4) buzzed through the best-hitting team in the major leagues and ran his scoreless streak to 18 innings.

Pitching on a sweltering 97-degree night before a sellout crowd of 54,414, Wang allowed four hits and got 16 outs on grounders. The sinkerballer walked three, all in the second inning, and struck out three.

With his impressive run of stingy performances, Wang has surpassed an inconsistent Randy Johnson and become New York’s no. 2 starter — right behind Mike Mussina.

Ron Villone gave up a two-run homer in the ninth to Troy Glaus, his 28th.The Blue Jays entered leading the majors in batting average (.293) and slugging percentage (.480).

Jeter hit a solo homer in the third off ex-Yankee Ted Lilly (9–10).

Rodriguez hustled his way to a leadoff double in the sixth, evading a tag at second base with a clever slide in which he pulled back his left arm and reached around to touch the base with his right. Posada followed with his 13th homer, and Melky Cabrera’s one-out double chased Lilly.

Johnny Damon hit an RBI single off Dustin McGowan, and Jeter walked with the bases loaded to make it 5–0.

After Abreu struck out against Scott Downs, Rodriguez hit a two-run single to left off the glove of diving shortstop John McDonald.

Lilly gave up five runs and 10 hits in 5.1 innings.

***

METS SEND PELFREY DOWN With a surplus of starting pitchers, the Mets optioned rookie right-hander Mike Pelfrey to Triple-A Norfolk yesterday and recalled left-handed reliever Royce Ring.

Pelfrey, the Mets’ first-round draft pick a year ago, made his major-league debut last month and went 2-1 with a 5.48 ERA in four starts.He gave up four runs in six innings and wasn’t involved in the decision in Tuesday’s loss at Florida.

“I feel like I can compete here,” Pelfrey said. “But going out every outing and giving up four runs is not fun. I’ll go down and work on some things, and hopefully when I come back, I’ll be better prepared.”

With six starters on the staff, the Mets decided to send down Pelfrey and keep John Maine, who hasn’t allowed a run in his past two starts. Manager Willie Randolph said Pelfrey will probably be back with the Mets before the season is over.