Rajai Davis did more than just drive in runs Sunday. With an amazing wall-climbing catch, he saved a couple, too.
Davis matched a career high with five RBIs, Edwin Encarnacion hit a two-run homer and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 10-7, snapping a five-game losing streak.
Davis made the defensive play of the game, scaling the 10-foot high left field fence in the seventh to snare a potential long ball off the bat of New York infielder Casey McGehee.
"Rajai had a big day," Blue Jays manager John Farrell said. "I don't know how many people make the catch he did. It was just an outstanding timing play."
Davis wasn't sure McGehee's drive would be playable at first, but let his instincts take over as the ball came down.
"That was amazing," he said. "You dream about doing something like that at the highest level."
Even McGehee was impressed by the acrobatic grab.
"When I saw him turn his back I thought he gave up on it," McGehee said. "Little did I know he was just timing it up.
"I guess I've got to hit it a few feet farther next time," McGehee added.
Rookie Moises Sierra had three hits and J.A. Happ pitched 5 2-3 innings for his first win since joining Toronto in a July 20 trade with Houston.
Happ (1-1) allowed four runs and six hits, walked none and struck out four.
Casey Janssen finished in the ninth for his 15th save in 16 chances, helping the Blue Jays avoid a sweep. Toronto had lost 11 of 13 coming in, leading Farrell to call this "a much-needed win."
"We've been in a tough stretch," Farrell said. "A win always lets people take a deep breath."
Robinson Cano hit a two-run shot and Derek Jeter had a solo homer among his three hits. Still, the Yankees lost for the first time in five games.
With outfielder Colby Rasmus and second baseman Kelly Johnson both nursing groin injuries and shortstop Yunel Escobar still sore after being hit on the elbow by a pitch Saturday, Encarnacion was the only player from Toronto's opening-day lineup to start the game. Johnson came on as a pinch hitter in the seventh.
Toronto was already without All-Star outfielder Jose Bautista (left wrist), catcher J.P. Arencibia (right hand), third baseman Brett Lawrie (ribcage strain) and first baseman Adam Lind (back).
Led by Davis and Encarnacion, Toronto's makeshift lineup amassed 14 hits and 10 runs, one more than the Blue Jays scored over their entire five-game skid.
David Cooper's RBI single in the first gave Toronto its first lead of the series, and the Blue Jays piled on with a six-run fourth against Phil Hughes (11-10).
Jeff Mathis doubled in a run, Davis hit a two-run double, Mike McCoy had an RBI single and Encarnacion drilled a homer off the center-field restaurant, his 30th.
Hughes matched a season-high by allowing seven runs and nine hits in four innings. He walked one and struck out four, and dropped to 0-4 with a 6.75 ERA in his past four road starts.
McGehee put New York on the board with an RBI double in the fifth, but Toronto tacked on three more in the bottom half when Davis hit a bases-loaded double off former teammate Ryota Igarashi, recalled from Triple-A after CC Sabathia was placed on the disabled list.
"He hurt us today, there's no doubt about it, offensively and defensively," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Davis.
Facing reliever Brad Lincoln, Jeter led off the sixth with his ninth homer, and Cano cut it to 10-4 with a two-out shot, his 25th.
New York cut it to 10-7 with a bat-around seventh. Jayson Nix and Jeter hit back-to-back RBI doubles and Nick Swisher singled home a run, chasing Lincoln and bringing on Darren Oliver. Mark Teixeira doubled and Cano was hit by a pitch, loading the bases and bringing the go-ahead run to the plate in Andruw Jones, who grounded into a fielder's choice.
NOTES: Davis also had five RBIs against the Los Angeles Angels on July 10, 2010, while playing for Oakland. ... Jeter came within a triple of the cycle. ... Yankees OF Ichiro Suzuki was held out of the starting lineup for the second straight game but pinch hit for Nix in the ninth. ... Girardi said INF Eric Chavez (back) has not been available since Friday, but should be ready to return Monday. ... With Sabathia (elbow) on the 15-day DL, RHP David Phelps will start for the Yankees when they return home to open a four-game series with AL West-leading Texas on Monday night. RHP Ryan Dempster will start for the Rangers.
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