TORONTO — The Blue Jays and the New York Yankees meet for one last series for this season.
First place in the American League East is on the line.
The Blue Jays won three of four games Sept. 11-13, including a rainout and a doubleheader sweep, at Yankee Stadium and left The Bronx with a 3 1/2-game lead, the same advantage they took into Sunday.
Before meeting the Yankees in New York, the Blue Jays lost two of three games to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
Before meeting the Yankees in a three-game series starting Monday at Rogers Centre, the Blue Jays lost two of three games at home to the Red Sox, who won the rubber match on Sunday, 4-3.
The Blue Jays have lost only two series since Aug. 18, both against Boston.
“I’m actually glad Boston is getting out of town,” manager John Gibbons said. “They’ve been tough on us the last few times we’ve met up. They’ve got a scrappy team and a different look from where they were earlier in the season.
The Red Sox took the season series from the Blue Jays 10-9.
“It’s already behind us,” said catcher Dioner Navarro, who hit a two-run homer on Sunday. “We’ve been winning a lot of series and unfortunately we dropped the series against Boston in Boston and we dropped this one, but New York is a new team and we try to win every series we get.”
Right-hander Marco Estrada, who will start the second game of the series against the Yankees on Tuesday, was not pleased with the series loss to the Red Sox.
“But the good thing is, we’re about to play the Yankees next and if we can take that series from them, we’ll be in pretty good shape.”
The Blue Jays are still in first after the series loss to Boston.
“We’re right where we want to be,” Navarro said.