Blue Jays slumping, Yankees winning

The Blue Jays begin Sunday still in first place despite their five-game losing streak, only because second-place Boston has been struggling too.

Meanwhile, the Yankees have been on a tear, and have now tied the Red Sox for second place in the East.

Standings before Sunday's action: Toronto 27-19 (--), Yankees 25-18 (1/2 GB), Boston 25-18 (1/2 GB), Tampa Bay 23-22 (3 1/2 GB).

* Saturday: another one of those walk-off wins for the Yanks, who shocked the World Champion Phillies at new Yankee Stadium. Phils led 4-2, but closer Brad Lidge--who was perfect in save situations last year--couldn't nail it down. A-Rod hit a two-run HR off Lidge in the ninth, and then Melky Cabrera won it with his third walk-off hit of the season. Out of the Yanks' last eight wins (in nine games), half have been of the come-from-behind, walk-off variety, including three straight last weekend against the Twins. And now New York is just a half-game back in the East.

* Jays:
1) Friday, Toronto lost 1-0 in Atlanta, even though Roy Halladay pitched seven shutout innings. The only run scored in the eighth on a sacrifice fly, but the Jays had Aaron Hill on third base with two outs in the ninth inning. He was left stranded.

Actually, it was a promising ninth inning as the Jays had their 1-2-3 batters coming up against closer Mike Gonzalez, who had blown two of his previous three save opportunities. With one out, Hill doubled. Alex Rios, however, grounded out to Gonzalez, with Hill taking third. Vernon Wells then grounded out for the final out.

In the eighth, the Jays also wasted Scott Rolen's leadoff double with the game still scoreless. Joe Inglett, who was just called up earlier in the day (while Travis Snider was sent down to Las Vegas), struck out as a pinch-hitter for Halladay to end the threat.

2) Saturday, Toronto lost 4-3 in Atlanta. Pitcher Derek Lowe singled in the fourth inning to break a 2-2 tie and give the Braves the lead. Kelly Johnson homered off B.J. Ryan in the seventh inning. 4-2 Braves. The Jays finally scored a run off Gonzalez in the ninth, and then loaded the bases with one out. Rafael Soriano replaced Gonzalez, and struck out Kevin Millar and induced a flyout off the bat of Marco Scutaro for the final out.

Scutaro, the leadoff man in both games, was the goat here. He made the final out on Saturday with the bases loaded and was only 1-for-5 (though his lone hit was a two-run double in the third that gave Toronto a 2-0 lead). On Friday, Scutaro was 0-for-4 and flied out for the first out in the ninth, before Hill doubled.

Two blown wins for Toronto against the Atlanta, and the Jays suddenly have forgotten how to hit. Meanwhile, the Yankees continue to win.

On Sunday, a close 2-2 game was broken open in the seventh, when the Braves scored 7 runs. (The score is now 9-2 Atlanta in the eighth.) The difference? Atlanta loaded the bases with one out, and scored seven runs.

In the top of the seventh, the Jays loaded the bases with one out, and Adam Lind struck out and Jose Bautista flied out. Whoa.

Right now in the ninth inning at Yankee Stadium, Brad Lidge is on again for the Phils trying to nail down a 3-2 win. Oops - I spoke too soon, Melky Cabrera has just singled in the tying run! Fourth blown save for Lidge!

If the Yanks win, the Jays will be in second place. If the Red Sox win, the Jays will also fall too. In Boston, the Sox have taken a 6-5 lead to let Tim Wakefield off the hook (Boston was behind 5-3 earlier).