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NYY@TOR: Bautista cranks a two-run jack in the third

TORONTO -- Jose Bautista and J.P. Arencibia continued their strong performance at the plate in recent games with a pair of two-run homers to lead the Blue Jays to a 4-1 victory over the Yankees on Thursday night at Rogers Centre.

Bautista's two-run homer came in the bottom of the third inning against New York starter Phil Hughes. Bautista worked the count full before fouling off a pair of pitches and then sending a cut fastball over the wall in left field for his 10th of the season.

The reigning Major League home run king in back-to-back seasons now has five homers in his past seven games and a total of seven for the month of May. Bautista's long shot on Thursday moved him past Jose Cruz Jr. for ninth place on the club's all-time home run list, with 123, and he is now within two of Fred McGriff for the No. 8 spot.

Bautista's shot marked the only blemish against Hughes throughout the night. Hughes allowed just the two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out five in 5 1/3 innings.

Arencibia added to the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning with a two-run shot of his own. His fifth of the season and second in as many nights came off right-hander Cory Wade to provide the Blue Jays with a 4-1 lead.

Blue Jays right-hander Drew Hutchison earned his third victory after surrendering just one run on five hits in six innings to mark his second career quality start. Hutchison did struggle with his control at times, as evidenced by four walks, but managed to pitch his way out of trouble for most of the night.

Hutchison's only major mistake occurred in the first inning, when Robinson Cano hit a one-out double to the gap in left-center field, which scored Curtis Granderson all the way from first base. Toronto's rookie right-hander only managed to record one three-up, three-down frame, but that was of little significance on this night en route to winning his second consecutive outing.

Jason Frasor and Darren Oliver then combined for a pair of scoreless innings, while right-hander Casey Janssen recorded his second save of the year in the ninth.