The Story

The Blue Jays have been good this year — better than expected, in fact. The starting rotation has consistently performed and there's been power at the plate. But in key moments, when key plays and decisions are made that win key games, the Jays haven't had much luck.

The New York Yankees (86-50) always seem to capitalize on good luck, and in the seventh inning of Saturday's game one fortunate call and one big swing extended the American League East leaders' win streak to eight games by virtue of a 7-5 win.

In the top half of the seventh, baseball's home run leader Jose Bautista (with 43) came to home plate with two on, nobody out and a chance to break a 5-5 tie.

He battled Yankees pitcher Joba Chamberlain (W, 2-4) to a full count before taking a slider outside of the plate for a called strike. But replays show that home plate umpire Ed Hickox had been generous with the size of his strike zone.

Bautista was furious and Hickox didn't hesitate in tossing him from the game for arguing with the call.

In the bottom half of the inning, Jason Frasor (L, 3-4) struck out Derek Jeter and got Mark Teixeira to fly out before Robinson Cano hit a single into centre field. Marcus Thames then stepped up and hit Frasor's second pitch, a slider over the plate, out of the park via centre field.

The two-run home run gave New York the lead and indomitable closer Mariano Rivera didn't give the Jays a chance to come back in the top of the ninth, recording his 555th career save.

What it means

The season series between the two teams is now tied at seven wins apiece. The Yankees have a chance to sweep the three-game series at home Sunday afternoon, first pitch at 1:05 p.m. ET. The Yankees pad their major-league leading record and their two-game lead over the wild-card leading Tampa Bay Rays (83-51). The Jays are 14½ games back in the wild-card race.

Game-changers

• The big pitch — Chamberlain's sixth pitch to Bautista, a slider, cut the outside corner of the plate and seemed to barely touch the strike zone. That was good enough for home plate umpire Ed Hickox.
• The big swing — Frasor's weak slider floated over the plate and Thames didn't need an invitation to hammer it out of the park.

What they said

"They're not going to get every pitch right, but I wish they got the right one on that one because it was a big situation." — Blue Jays first baseman Lyle Overbay on a contentious called third strike on Jose Bautista with two men on base and none out in the seventh inning of a 5-5 tie.

"I've always said, if I'm hitting 'em when we're down 10-1 and I hit a two-run homer, it doesn't mean anything. I'd rather hit 'em when there's something on the line, to help us win a ball game." — Yankees outfielder Marcus Thames, who swatted a tiebreaking home run in the seventh inning.