TORONTO — Ryan Goins had three hits and two RBIs, left-hander J.A. Happ pitched six innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the New York Yankees 7-2 on Wednesday.
The Blue Jays (4-5) pulled away with a four-run eighth to gain a split of the first two games with the Yankees (4-3) and the rubber match of the three-game set will be played on Thursday.
Mark Teixeira homered for the Yankees.
Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda (1-1) allowed five hits, three walks and three runs (two earned) while striking out six in six innings.
Happ (1-0) allowed seven hits, three walks and one run in six innings. He struck out four.
Left-handed reliever Brett Cecil, who has been struggling, took over in the seventh for Happ with the Blue Jays leading 3-1 and had a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout.
Right-hander Kirby Yates took over for the Yankees in the seventh and struck out two in a perfect frame.
Right-hander Drew Storen came in to pitch the eighth for the Blue Jays and gave up Teixeira’s third homer of the season with one out to cut the lead to one run.
Josh Donaldson led off the eighth inning with a double against right-hander Ivan Nova to extend his hitting streak to nine games and took third on a wild pitch.
Jose Bautista followed with a double to left center to put the Blue Jays ahead by two. He took third on a groundout to third and scored on a single to right by Troy Tulowitzki.
Michael Saunders hit his second double of the game and Tulowitzki moved to third. Russell Martin hit a sacrifice fly to center. Justin Smoak was hit by a pitch and Goins singled for his third hit and second RBI.
Ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte, just called up from Triple-A Buffalo, pitched the ninth for Toronto.
Both starters were working on six days’ rest.
The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out double to center by Goins. It scored Martin, who had walked with one out.
New York’s Ronald Torreyes led off the top of the fifth with a double, his second hit of the game, and he took third on a single by Austin Romine. Jacoby Ellsbury, who singled in each of his first two at-bats, failed to move the runners when he popped out to third.
Aaron Hicks grounded out to third as Torreyes scored the tying run.
Justin Smoak led off the home fifth with a walk and advanced to third on Goins’ second double of the game, this one off the left-field fence. Smoak scored and Goins took third when Torreyes was charged with a throwing error on Kevin Pillar’s grounder to the shortstop.
Goins scored when Donaldson grounded into a double play and Toronto led 3-1.
NOTES: The Blue Jays recalled L/RHP Pat Venditte, the ambidextrous reliever, from Triple-A Buffalo. RHP Arnold Leon was designated for assignment to make room on the roster. Venditte has pitched two perfect innings with five strikeouts for the Bisons this year. Leon allowed three hits — including a home run — one walk and two runs in 2 1/3 innings in two games for the Blue Jays. … Yankees C Brian McCann (bruised big left toe) was not in the starting lineup. C Austin Romine was behind the plate. … New York OF Brett Gardner and SS Didi Gregorius also did not start against Toronto LHP J.A. Happ. OF Aaron Hicks and INF Ronald Torreyes started instead. … The three-game series ends Thursday with Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 9.00 ERA) facing Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (1-0, 5.40 ERA).