GAME THREAD: GAME THREAD: AL: NY YANKEES (21-27) at TORONTO (22-27)

McGowan, Blue Jays roll past Yankees

<h3>TORONTO 7, NY YANKEES 2</h3>TORONTO (Ticker) -- The Toronto Blue Jays have looked dominantin their first two games against the New York Yankees thisseason.

Dustin McGowan pitched 7 2/3 solid innings and Lyle Overbay hithis eighth home run of the season as the Blue Jays defeated theYankees, 7-2, in the opener of a three-game series Monday.

Aaron Hill drove in three runs for the Blue Jays, who haveoutscored the Yankees, 13-2, in their first two meetings thisseason. Toronto defeated New York, 6-0, on April 26 at YankeeStadium.

"That was probably the best game I've had since I've been here,"McGowan said. "I had all my pitches going tonight. I was justpounding the zone and throwing strikes."

McGowan (1-2) picked up his first win this season and the thirdof his career, allowing two runs, five hits and one walk whilenotching a career-high seven strikeouts.

"Dustin was awesome tonight," Toronto manager John Gibbons said."Maybe that was his breakthrough outing for him, against theYankees. He had to feel real good. He'll always remember thisone."

The righthander did not allow a run until Hideki Matsuiconnected for a two-run homer with two outs in the eighthinning. The home run came on McGowan's 117th pitch of the game- which also proved to be his last.

It was the longest outing of the 25-year-old's career. In 14prior starts, dating to 2005, McGowan had never pitched morethan 6 1/3 innings.

"(McGowan is) a big, strong kid," Gibbons said. "He was goinginto some uncharted territory, but that's how you learn andthat's what makes you so much better."

New York first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz said he was impressedwith McGowan.

"He's got electric stuff. When you throw 97 miles per hour withsink and then add changeups with a lot of movement, it'sawfully tough," he said. "I don't care how we're swinging, todo that to this lineup is pretty impressive."

Overbay's solo home run in the third inning off rookie MattDeSalvo (1-2) opened the scoring, and the Blue Jays extended thelead to 2-0 an inning later on an RBI single by Hill.

Overbay had three hits and came up in the eighth inning needinga triple for the cycle, but he struck out swinging.

"I'm done with triples, I've already exceeded my limit," saidOverbay, who has two triples this season but just five in 2,148career at-bats. "I'm feeling really comfortable at the plateright now. I feel like I can get on the fastball and adjust onthe off-speed (pitch)."

After allowing a two-out RBI double to Overbay in the fifth,DeSalvo lost his control. The 26-year-old loaded the bases bywalking Vernon Wells and hitting Troy Glaus with a pitch.

Luis Vizcaino replaced DeSalvo and ended the threat by strikingout Frank Thomas, who remains six home runs shy of 500 for hiscareer.

"I didn't do a very good job of helping keep the team in it,"DeSalvo said. "Giving up one run in three straight innings, itwas tough."

Toronto blew the game open in the seventh inning when relieverRon Villone loaded the bases with with one out. An RBI singleby Glaus and a walk to Thomas pushed the lead to 5-0 before Hilldelivered a two-run single to right off reliever Mike Myers tomake it 7-0.

DeSalvo allowed three runs, five hits and three walks whilestriking out two in 4 2/3 innings.

It was another discouraging loss for the Yankees, who have lostfour straight and 12 of their last 17 games. New York's vauntedlineup has scored three runs or fewer in 10 games during thatspan.

"It's easy to play the game when you're swinging the bats well,when you're pitching well and when everything seems to be goingyour way," said New York shortstop Derek Jeter, who had two ofthe Yankees' five hits to improve his batting average to .355."When you go through rough periods, that's when you find out howgood teams are."

New York is tied for last place in the American League East, 131/2 games behind the first-place Boston Red Sox. The Yankeeshave not been this far out of first since September 9, 1995.

"My concern is our team," New York manager Joe Torre said."It's not about chasing anybody. We have to straighten ourhouse out."