TORONTO - Jason Giambi hit a grand slam, Jorge Posada added a solo homer and the New York Yankees beat the Toronto Blue Jays 9-2 on Tuesday night for their sixth straight victory.
New York (82-62) has won 10 of its last 13 to move a season-high 20 games over .500. The Yankees are four games in front of Detroit in the AL wild-card standings after the Tigers split a doubleheader with Texas on Tuesday.
Giambi, who was 2-for-27 over his past 10 games, went 1-for-3, walking and scoring in the second inning. The grand slam was his first of the season and 12th of his career. Doug Mientkiewicz replaced Giambi at first base in the seventh.
Right-hander Phil Hughes allowed two runs - one earned - and three hits in six innings to win for the first time since Aug. 10, at Cleveland. Hughes (3-3) walked three and struck out one.
Toronto loaded the bases with two outs in the first, but Hughes stabbed a hard shot by Aaron Hill and threw him out to escape the jam.
Edwar Ramirez struck out five in two innings of scoreless relief, and Ross Ohlendorf closed it out in the ninth in his major league debut.
New York took a 3-0 lead in the second against right-hander Shaun Marcum. Posada doubled and later scored on a wild pitch before Johnny Damon hit a two-run single.
Toronto made it 3-2 in the bottom of the inning when Gregg Zaun scored on a single by Russ Adams and John McDonald came around on a throwing error by center fielder Melky Cabrera.
Posada's two-out homer in the third made it 4-2 and the Yankees pulled away in the fifth.
Bobby Abreu led off with a double and remained at second when Alex Rodriguez reached on an infield single. Hideki Matsui flied out, Posada walked and Giambi followed with his 13th homer and first since Aug. 26.
That was the end for Marcum (12-6), who allowed eight runs and eight hits in 4 1-3 innings, losing for the first time in four starts. He walked a season-high four and struck out five.
Matsui made it 9-2 with a sacrifice fly in the eighth.
Seeking to homer for the sixth consecutive game, Rodriguez finished 2-for-4 with two infield singles and an intentional walk.
Toronto right-hander Josh Banks made his major league debut with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Notes:@ Firefighters from New York and Toronto joined the players on the field in a pregame ceremony to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. God Bless America was played during the seventh-inning stretch. ... Cabrera threw out Lyle Overbay at third after Overbay held up on McDonald's fielder's choice liner in the second. ... The game was delayed for two minutes in the bottom of the eighth when Posada was forced to go the clubhouse to replace his broken catcher's mask.
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