Toronto @ New York preview

Last Meeting ( Jun 18, 2014 ) Toronto 3, NY Yankees 7

The New York Yankees look to finish off their fifth straight series sweep at home against the Toronto Blue Jays when the teams finish a three-game set Thursday. New York's 7-3 victory Wednesday was its 15th straight home win against its American League East rivals, a phenomenal streak that dates back to Toronto's last win at Yankee Stadium on Aug. 29, 2012. Brian McCann's five RBIs led the way as he drove in more runs than the Blue Jays have produced in 10 of their last 12 games.

Toronto is 3-8 in its last 11 games overall, while New York has won six of eight and enters the series finale 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Blue Jays. Yankees left fielder Brett Gardner was 4-for-5 on Wednesday and is 8-for-17 with two homers against Toronto this year. Blue Jays third baseman Brett Lawrie exited the 7-3 loss after getting hit on the left hand with a pitch in the fourth inning and is considered day-to-day.

TV: 7:05 p.m. ET, SNET (Toronto), YES (New York)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Blue Jays RH Drew Hutchison (5-4, 3.62 ERA) vs. Yankees RH David Phelps (2-4, 4.32)

Hutchison's inconsistent season continued in his last start in Baltimore on Friday, when he followed up a rocky performance five days earlier by spinning seven scoreless innings. It was the third scoreless outing in his last six starts, but he has a 7.24 ERA in the other three during that span. The 23-year-old was reached for a season-high six runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a loss at home against the Yankees on April 6 and has surrendered 11 hits and seven walks in 9 1/3 frames in his career versus New York.

Like Hutchison, Phelps rebounded from a poor performance to post a scoreless outing in his most recent game, limiting high-powered Oakland to two hits in 6 2/3 innings of a 7-0 win on Friday. The effort improved his record to 2-4 in eight starts, during which he has posted a 4.44 ERA. Phelps gave up two home runs in two innings of relief at Toronto on April 5 but is 2-0 with a 4.26 ERA in eight games (three starts) against the Blue Jays overall.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Derek Jeter has 533 career doubles, one shy of Lou Gehrig's franchise record.

2. Blue Jays RF Jose Bautista recorded his 1,000th career hit in Wednesday's loss.

3. New York IF Yangervis Solarte is 0-for-21 over his last six games.

PREDICTION: Yankees 5, Blue Jays 4