Torres, Yankees edge Blue Jays for 10th straight win

TORONTO — Gleyber Torres hit a two-run homer and singled home the deciding run in the ninth as the New York Yankees won their 10th straight, edging the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 in a battle of American League East heavyweights Monday.

David Phelps, Trevor Richards and Adam Cimber combined to dispatch 12 straight Yankee hitters in the wake of Toronto starter Ross Stripling, who exited after five innings with the score tied at 2-2.

Yimi Garcia (0-2) came on in the ninth for Toronto, yielding a leadoff single to Giancarlo Stanton to end the streak. Pinch-runner Tim Locastro stole second. After former Jay Josh Donaldson grounded out, Aaron Hicks struck out and Torres singled home Locastro for a 3-2 lead.

Chad Green pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for New York for the save. Reliever Clay Holmes (2-0) got the win,

Toronto had two men on in the seventh and eighth but was unable to cash them in.

It was a big sports night in Toronto.

The announced crowd of 18,577 at the Rogers Centre saw two elite teams with the Yankees topping the MLB overall standings and the Jays tied for fourth. Less than a kilometre to the east, the Maple Leafs opened the NHL playoffs against the defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning at Scotiabank Arena.

The Jays (15-9) scored weekend victories over visiting Houston and had won three of their last four and nine of their last 12. Toronto has yet to lose a series this season (6-0-1) with the lone split a four-game series with the Yankees in the Bronx last month.

The Yankees (17-6) arrived having outscored Kansas City, Baltmore and Cleveland by a combined 67-28 in consecutive sweeps. New York, which had won 11 of its last 12, had not lost since April 21 when it was blanked 3-0 by Detroit.

Jays manager Charlie