On April 10, 2004, Barry Bonds was days from passing Willie Mays on the career home run list, Phil Mickelson was on the verge of winning his first green jacket at the Masters, and Internet giant Google had just launched a new service called gmail.
At Yankee Stadium that day, Chicago White Sox left-hander Mark Buehrle earned his first career win over the New York Yankees.
More than 11 years later, Buehrle finally beat them again.
Russell Martin homered, Buehrle snapped a two-start losing streak and the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 5-1 on Wednesday night.
"We're excited for (Buehrle)," manager John Gibbons said. "He got the monkey off his back tonight."
Buehrle (4-2) allowed one run and six hits in five innings. He walked one and struck out three.
Buehrle came in with a 1-14 record in his career against New York, and was 0-12 with a 7.27 ERA in 17 starts against them since his lone victory.
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"Over my career I've had good games where I've thrown pretty well against them and things haven't panned out," Buehrle said. "For the most part I haven't pitched too good against them but there has been some games where I feel like I should have more than one win.
"I made bad pitches today and I got away with them," Buehrle said. "I've always said I want to be good but at the same time I want to be lucky."
Martin went 3 for 4 and Chris Colabello had a career-high four hits as the Blue Jays took two of three from the AL East-leading Yankees.
In Buehrle's only previous win over the Yankees, he allowed two unearned runs over eight innings in his first career start at Yankee Stadium. That game came just over a week after New York had returned from a season-opening series in Japan.
"I don't remember anything about it," Buehrle said Wednesday. "I can't remember what happened last week."
Alex Rodriguez, who batted third and started at third base that day, is the only Yankee still with the team. Rodriguez also batted third Wednesday.
Roberto Osuna worked 2 1-3 innings, Aaron Loup got two outs in the eighth and Brett Cecil finished.
Mark Teixeira's RBI grounder in the first gave New York an early lead but Toronto answered in the second with Ezequiel Carrera's two-run single off CC Sabathia.
"Carrera killed me today," Sabathia said. "It's just so frustrating to give up a two-run single to a lefty 9-hole hitter."
Martin lined a single off Sabathia's backside to begin the fourth, went to second on a balk and scored on a one-out single by Colabello.
Martin extended Toronto's lead with a one-out homer in the fifth, his seventh. Martin has homered in each of the past four games he has started.
Sabathia (0-5) remained winless in six starts, allowing four runs and nine hits in 6 1-3 innings. The left-hander has received only one run of support in four of his outings this season, and 13 total runs in his six starts.
"He's pitched well enough to win in two or three games. We just haven't scored a lot of runs," manager Joe Girardi said.
Sabathia didn't share Girardi's optimistic outlook.
"I'm just good enough to lose right now," Sabathia said.
PROTECTIVE LAYER
Sabathia didn't flinch after being struck by Martin's liner. "Last year I probably would have went down but I've got enough padding back there now so I feel good," he said.
FLIP THE LID
The roof at Rogers Centre was open for the first time this season.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: OF Brett Gardner (stiff neck) was held out of the starting lineup and was replaced by Chris Young. Gardner said he hopes to return Thursday. ... 3B Chase Headley returned after sitting out Tuesday with a sore lower back. ... The Yankees placed INF Gregorio Petit (bruised right hand) on the 15-day DL and activated INF-OF Jose Pirela off the DL.
Blue Jays: SS Jose Reyes (left ribs) ran on the field before the game but has yet to resume hitting. He's scheduled to undergo an MRI in the next few days.
UP NEXT
Blue Jays: Toronto is off Thursday before opening a three-game series against Boston on Friday. RHP Aaron Sanchez (2-2) faces LHP Wade Miley (1-3) in the opener. Sanchez has won two of his past three starts despite walking 15 batters in 16 2-3 innings.
Yankees: New York returns home Thursday for a four-game series against Baltimore. RHP Nathan Eovaldi (2-0) faces RHP Chris Tillman (2-3) in the opener. Eovaldi has won two of his past three starts since getting a no-decision in New York's 7-5 loss at Baltimore on April 15.
