New York @ Toronto preview

NY Yankees at Toronto

Last Meeting ( Sep 29, 2012 ) NY Yankees 2, Toronto 3

New York manager Joe Girardi has said his team won't celebrate clinching a playoff berth because the Yankees are still focused on the American League East race with Baltimore. Although New York can clinch a postseason berth on Sunday, it is even with the Orioles with four games remaining. The Yankees will try to keep pace and salvage a four-game road split with the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. They can cement a playoff spot with a win and a Tampa Bay loss.

The Yankees have won 10 of their last 13 games, but their offense has sputtered in the two losses in Toronto. They were shut out Thursday and dropped a 3-2 decision on Saturday. Right-hander Phil Hughes will make the start for the Yankees. Hughes is 2-2 in five starts against Toronto this year, and he has won his past two outings against the Blue Jays. He allowed one run in seven innings Aug. 28 and gave up four runs over five innings Sept. 20. Blue Jays rookie Henderson Alvarez will make his final start of the season and try to end an inconsistent campaign on a high note.

TV: 1:07 p.m. ET, YES, SN-1, TVA Sports

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Phil Hughes (16-13, 4.10 ERA) vs. Blue Jays RH Henderson Alvarez (9-14, 4.91)

Hughes ran into trouble in the seventh inning his last time out, taking the loss at Minnesota and snapping his three-start winning streak. Hughes is 5-5 with a 4.79 ERA in 22 games (15 starts) against the Blue Jays.

Alvarez has lost two straight starts and seven of his last nine decisions. He had strung together three straight quality starts before giving up four runs in 5 2/3 innings of a loss at Baltimore last time out. Alvarez is 0-1 with a 5.64 ERA in four career starts against New York, including three this season.

WALK-OFFS

1. Robinson Cano needs one double to give him 45 or more in three straight seasons, matching Lou Gehrig for the most consecutive campaigns with 45 doubles in Yankees history.

2. Blue Jays INF Adeiny Hechavarria, who drove in the eventual winning run with an RBI double Saturday, is riding a 10-game hitting streak. The rookie is 1-for-7 with a homer against Hughes.

3. Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez's next RBI will the 1,950th of his career, tying Stan Musial for fifth all-time. Rodriguez is 3-for-9 with a homer against Alvarez.