By Bryan Hoch / MLB.com NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia strapped the Yankees on his back and provided the deep pitching performance they've been needing, helping lead his team to a 6-1 victory over the Blue Jays that clinched the club's 15th playoff berth in the last 16 years. The ace's outing marked the first stage of the goal outlined this spring for the defending World Series champions, who had staggered recently, losing five of their last six coming into Tuesday's game at Rogers Centre. The Yankees had fallen short in their first attempt to reduce the magic number from one to zero on Monday night, requiring Sabathia to start on his regular rest instead of being pushed back to prepare for what will be a Game 1 start in the American League Division Series. New York put a quick run on the board in the first inning against the Blue Jays' Kyle Drabek, as Derek Jeter singled, advanced on a wild pitch and hit, then scored on Alex Rodriguez's sacrifice fly to center field. The Yankees took a 2-0 lead in the third inning as a Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly brought home Jeter. In the fifth, Brett Gardner legged out a one-out triple and scored on a fielder's choice, sliding home safely under the tag from catcher John Buck. Drabek was done after six innings of three-run, five-hit ball. A bases-loaded walk to A-Rod in the eighth by reliever Josh Roenicke forced home the Yankees' fourth run, and Robinson Cano lifted a sacrifice fly off David Purcey to make it 5-1. It was more than enough support for Sabathia, who bounced back from allowing a season-high seven runs to the Rays on Thursday, pressed into action for what may be his final tuneup of the year. In 8 1/3 innings, the left-hander held Toronto to three hits, one of which was Travis Snider's third-inning solo homer, as Sabathia improved to 21-7 in his second season as a Yankee. He now owns a round 40 victories in the regular season since inking a seven-year, $161 million contract with New York in December 2008. Managing his second-to-last home game for the Blue Jays, Cito Gaston was ejected in the sixth inning for arguing a play in which J.P. Arencibia was called out for running in the baseline, forcing Sabathia's throw on a roller to first base to strike him.
