By Tim Britton / MLB.com NEW YORK -- A.J. Burnett was lit up during a seven-run fifth inning and the Blue Jays held off the Yankees, 8-6, in the series opener on Monday in the Bronx, ensuring that New York is no longer in sole possession of first place in the American League East. By virtue of the Rays' 4-2 win over the Twins, Tampa Bay is tied with the Bronx Bombers atop the division. Alex Rodriguez, sitting on 599 career home runs, went hitless in four at-bats, striking out twice. Across his first four innings, Burnett had allowed just two hits, including a Vernon Wells opposite-field home run down the right-field line. The right-hander was clobbered, however, in the fifth inning, during which the Blue Jays batted around and collected six hits off Burnett -- all for extra bases. The six doubles hit in the frame by Toronto tied an AL record also held by the 1934 Washington Senators and the 2002 Texas Rangers. Travis Snider led off the inning with a double ahead of a second-deck home run to left by Edwin Encarnacion. Burnett walked Jose Molina after getting ahead, 0-2, and then served up doubles to four of the next six hitters. Sergio Mitre then replaced Burnett, only to give up a double to Snider. Toronto's seven runs in the frame tied the most the Yankees had allowed in a single inning this season. The Yankees had gotten off to a quick start against Brandon Morrow, with Derek Jeter leading off the game with a single before Nick Swisher blasted the first of his two home runs to Monument Park in center. Morrow settled in for a bit, until Mark Teixeira lined a two-run homer to right in the fifth and Lance Berkman recorded his first Yankees RBI with a single to score Robinson Cano in the sixth. Morrow allowed five runs on seven hits while striking out nine in 5 1/3 innings. Burnett was charged with eight runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
