The New York Yankees lost 5-4 to the Toronto Blue Jays in 14 innings last night, allowing the Boston Red Sox to increase their AL East lead to 2½ games and reduce heir magic number to clinch at least a wild-card playoff berth to two.

The Yankees had finally been getting on a roll late in the season, but strong pitching by Roy Halladay and timely hitting allowed the Blue Jays to squelch a comeback bid.

Gregg Zaun’s homer in the 14th inning off Brian Bruney (3-2) came after the Yankees, handcuffed into the ninth by Halladay, scored four times to tie it.

“I was proud of how we bounced back,” said Yankees manager Joe Torre, whose club had won four in a row and 12 of 14. “It’s just disappointing how it ended.”

Joe Kennedy (4-9) escaped a 13th-inning jam and got two outs in the 14th. Jason Frasor struck out pinch-hitter Wilson Betemit for his third save.

Mr. Halladay outpitched Chien-Ming Wang, allowing four runs — one earned — and eight hits while striking out four. He walked none and threw 82 of his 110 pitches for strikes.

“That’s about as dominant as I’ve seen him. He was having an easy time with us,” Mr. Torre said.

Mr. Wang yielded two runs, one earned, and six hits in seven innings.

“He was just stacked up against a real good pitcher,” Yankees pitching coach Ron Guidry said. “But that’s what aces do.”

Menawhile, at Miami, the Mets beat the Florida Marlins 9-6 as Pedro Martinez (3-0) pitched five innings in his fourth start since returning from rotator cuff surgery last October to get the win and Florida committed a team-record six errors while allowing eight unearned runs.

The Mets retained a 1½-game lead in the NL East over second-place Philadelphia.

Florida starter Scott Olsen (9-15) left the game after five innings trailing 8-3 despite allowing no earned runs. The Marlins lead the major leagues with 127 errors.<