The Yankees lost their seventh straight home game Sunday, losing 5-3 as the Toronto Blue Jays completed their first four-game sweep ever against New York.
Jeff Weaver unraveled after an error by Alfonso Soriano and the Yankees stumbled into Roger Clemens' start against Boston on Monday on a season-high fourth straight loss. The skid has dropped New York 1 1/2 games behind the Red Sox in the AL East. Boston lost 6-4 to Cleveland.
Clemes is one win away from his 300th.
PHOTO: AFP
"All our eggs are in one basket and that's Roger," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "The ironic part is we need a win and he's not too bad to send out there."
New York's slump at Yankee Stadium is its worst since it lost 10 straight in 1986. New York has lost 11 of the last 12 at home.
"It can only get better. It can't get much worse than it's been," Yankees star Derek Jeter said.
Greg Myers hit a two-run double and Josh Phelps also drove in two runs as the Blue Jays finished off an 8-2 road trip. The sweep over the Yankees came in Toronto's 27th season.
"If you started out a four-game series here with the idea you're going to win them all, it would seem unreasonable. To win them all is kind of special," Myers said.
Torre dramatically changed his lineup, trying to spark his floundering team. Jeter did fine as the new leadoff man, hitting a home run and a single. Soriano also went 2-for-5 with a solo homer in the ninth while hitting in the third slot for the first time in his major league career.
The Yankees stranded 12 runners, including at least one in every inning. New York also got a hit in every inning, but went 0-for-18 with runners on base.
"We like to think we're something special," Torre said. "When you're winning, it's play. Now, it's a little more work."
Doug Davis (2-3), claimed on waivers by the Blue Jays on April 30 after being cut by Texas, pitched five innings and ended his three-game losing streak. He held New York to one run, working around six hits and two walks.
"It was my first time pitching here, and it was great. And it was great to contribute to the four-game sweep," Davis said.
In other AL games, it was Minnesota 3, Seattle 1; Baltimore 13, Texas 10; Oakland 4, Kansas City 3; Anaheim 6, Tampa Bay 1; and Chicago 8, Detroit 5.
Kevin Brown took a two-hit shutout into the ninth inning Sunday, as the Los Angeles Dodgers extended their winning streak to 10 games Sunday with a 5-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.
Los Angeles starters are 10-0 with a 1.62 ERA during the run, and the Dodgers held Milwaukee scoreless for 24 innings before Geoff Jenkins' sacrifice fly in the ninth.
"It's a matter of pressure -- when everybody is pitching well the pressure is less," Brown said. "Even if I have an off day, you know the next guy is pitching well. It's not do-or-die."
Fred McGriff hit his 486th homer in the sixth inning, a two-run shot off Ben Sheets (4-4). Paul Lo Duca added a three-run drive in the eighth for the Dodgers, who pulled within a half-game of first-place San Francisco in the NL West.
Brown (6-1) struck out eight and walked one in winning his fifth consecutive decision over seven starts since April 18.
"It was not a nice day to be a Milwaukee Brewer hitter," Los Angeles manager Jim Tracy said. "It's no fun to be a hitter against that guy."
Expos 5, Phillies 3
In Montreal, Brian Schneider hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in the seventh and Javier Vazquez pitched seven strong innings in Montreal's last game at Olympic Stadium until June 20.
A photo day promotion helped bring in a crowd of 17,023. The Expos, playing 22 home games in San Juan, Puerto Rico, this season to try to boost revenue, will play their next 22 games away from Montreal.
Vazquez (5-2) allowed two runs and five hits, including Jason Michaels' two-run homer in the second. He struck out eight and walked one.
Rocky Biddle pitched the ninth for his 14th save in 15 opportunities.
Jose Vidro also homered for the Expos, who completed a 5-1 homestand to remain two games behind Atlanta in the NL East. Montreal (32-18) has the second best record in the NL.
Brett Myers (4-4) allowed four runs and three hits in 6 2-3 innings.
Marlins 6, Reds 2
In Cincinnati, Dontrelle Willis (2-1) pitched eight shutout innings in his fourth major league start as Florida completed a rare three-game sweep.
Derrek Lee had three hits, including a solo homer, and Mike Lowell hit his 16th homer off Danny Graves (3-3) to cap a triumphant homecoming for manager Jack McKeon. He won the NL Manager of the Year Award by leading the Reds to 96 wins in 1999, but was fired after finishing second the following season.
The Marlins are 6-7 since McKeon took over for Jeff Torborg on May 11. It was their first three-game sweep on the road since August 2000, when they swept Cincinnati at Cinergy Field.
Pirates 8, Cardinals 7
Aramis Ramirez drove in three runs and St. Louis' usually flawless defense committed a costly error that led to Pittsburgh's four-run sixth inning.
Kenny Lofton doubled in an insurance run following Abraham Nunez's go-ahead sacrifice fly in the seventh, running his hitting streak to 23 games -- the Pirates' longest since Al Oliver's 23-game run in 1974.
The Pirates rallied from four runs down to avoid a three-game sweep and win for only the fourth time in their last 17 home games. They had dropped 15 of 20 overall.
Brian Boehringer (2-1) pitched a scoreless seventh for the victory, and Mike Williams earned his 14th save in 17 chances.
Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds each hit a three-run homer for the Cardinals. Dustin Hermanson (1-2) took the loss.
Cubs 7, Astros 3
In Houston, Moises Alou hit three RBI singles and Carlos Zambrano pitched 6 1-3 strong innings as Chicago finished a long road trip on a high note.
The NL Central-leading Cubs took two of three in Houston to go 8-5 on the trip despite missing injured slugger Sammy Sosa. Zambrano (5-4) allowed three runs, five hits and five walks. He struck out five.
Rockies 5, Giants 1
Darren Oliver pitched six scoreless innings and hit an RBI double to win for the first time in nearly a month.
Greg Norton hit a two-run double in the seventh inning for Colorado, which won for just the third time in nine games. San Francisco, playing without injured Barry Bonds for the second straight game, has lost 10 of 15.
Oliver (2-3) worked through trouble most of the day, allowing seven hits for his first win since April 27. Colorado turned four double plays.
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