NEW YORK -- In between retiring Yankees hitters, Toronto starter J.A. Happ could appreciate the moment of dueling with CC Sabathia.
"It was kind of fun, definitely, being out there -- Yankee Stadium, pitching against him," Happ said after a strong seven-inning outing Thursday.
Edwin Encarnacion and Devon Travis had two-out RBI, and the Blue Jays beat New York 3-1 to win the three-game series and wrap up a 5-2 road trip.
Sabathia was the tough-luck loser, allowing just two unearned runs. Alex Rodriguez went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts in his first game since going on the disabled list May 4 with a strained right hamstring.
Happ (6-2) allowed 1 run and 3 hits in 7 innings with 5 strikeouts and 3 walks. He has given up 3 earned runs or fewer in 19 of his past 20 starts.
Sabathia (3-3) retired the first seven batters before an error by shortstop Didi Gregorius on Travis' grounder with one out in the third. Sabathia retired No. 9 hitter Darwin Barney, but a single by Jose Bautista and a walk to Josh Donaldson loaded the bases. Encarnacion singled to left for the 2-1 lead.
"We've been missing that for a while," Manager John Gibbons said of the clutch hitting with runners in scoring position.
Travis, playing in just his second game of 2016 after offseason shoulder surgery, singled with two outs in the ninth off a 102-mph fastball from Aroldis Chapman to drive in Justin Smoak for the insurance run.
"I just did my best to fight and put it in play, and thankfully it found a hole," Travis said.
Roberto Osuna pitched a perfect ninth for his 10th save in 11 chances.
Starlin Castro, 1 for 11 in his previous three games, hit a two-out solo home run in the first for the Yankees' only scoring.
Sabathia allowed 2 hits and 1 walk in 7 innings, striking out 7 to tie Chuck Finley for 23th place on the all-time list with 2,610. In two starts since coming off the disabled list, he has given up just one earned run in 13 innings.
ASTROS 4, ORIOLES 2 George Springer homered twice and host Houston set a major league record for strikeouts in a three-game series, finishing a sweep of Baltimore. Houston starter Lance McCullers (1-1) allowed just 1 hit -- a home run to Mark Trumbo -- and had 10 strikeouts in 5 innings, helping the Astros break the major league record for strikeouts in a three-game series with 52. The previous mark was 47 by Washington earlier this season.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
PIRATES 8, DIAMONDBACKS 3 Josh Harrison came off the bench to hit a two-out, two-run double in the sixth inning to help host Pittsburgh defeat Arizona. That gave the Pirates a 5-3 lead. The runs gave reliever A.J. Schugel (1-1) his first major league victory after he had surrendered the lead inherited from starter Gerrit Cole in the top half of the inning.
NATIONALS 2, CARDINALS 1 Bryce Harper hit a slump-busting home run, Danny Espinosa also went deep and host Washington got seven strong innings from right-hander Joe Ross in a victory over St. Louis. Washington trailed 1-0 in the sixth inning before Harper ended a 4-for-33 skid with a shot into the upper deck.
BREWERS 6, BRAVES 2 Ryan Braun and Jonathan Villar homered and visiting Milwaukee earned their first sweep in Atlanta with a victory over the Braves.
INTERLEAGUE
MARLINS 9, RAYS 1 Jose Fernandez struck out 12 in seven innings and won his sixth consecutive start for visiting Miami, a decision over Tampa Bay. Fernandez (7-2) struck out eight of the last 10 batters he faced and struck out every hitter in the Rays lineup at least once. Drew Smyly (2-6) (Little Rock Central, Arkansas Razorbacks) started for Tampa Bay.
ROCKIES 8, RED SOX 2 Carlos Gonzalez, Trevor Story and Dustin Garneau hit two-run home runs and visiting Colorado stopped Jackie Bradley Jr.'s 29-game hitting streak with a victory over Boston. The victory ended a three-game losing streak by Colorado and it ended a four-game winning streak for the Red Sox.
Sports on 05/27/2016