NEW YORK -- David Phelps put his pitches in all the right places against a struggling team that was stuck in the wrong spot. Phelps threw seven strong innings, Carlos Beltran drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat Toronto 6-4 Thursday night for their 16th consecutive home win over the Blue Jays. "Everything was a little bit crisper today," Phelps said. "I was able to be aggressive the entire game." Jacoby Ellsbury stole two bases, scored twice and hit one of three early sacrifice flies for the Yankees off Drew Hutchison. New York swiped four bags in all and scratched out its fifth run when Brett Gardner was going as Derek Jeter hit an RBI groundout -- preventing an inning-ending double play. Phelps (3-4) yielded two runs and struck out seven in winning his second straight outing after a four-start skid. The Yankees earned their first three-game sweep at home this season and sliced Torontos lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games. "Big series for us," reliever Adam Warren said after New York won for the seventh time in nine games. "Its nice to kind of see our team click a little bit and play some good baseball." Citing research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees said the winning streak against Toronto is their longest at home against one team since a 19-game run vs. Cleveland from June 1960 to April 1962. Melky Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion each hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who have lost nine of 12 and were swept for the first time since Sept. 10-12 last season by the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto has dropped 25 of 27 at Yankee Stadium dating to 2011 and hasnt won in the Bronx since Aug. 29, 2012. "Hey, if youre going to play in prime time, youve got to perform on the big stage and we didnt do it," manager John Gibbons said. "Were fully capable of doing it. We just didnt do it. Itll be definitely good to move on." With closer David Robertson receiving a rest, Warren got two outs for his second save -- ending a rhythm-less game that took 3 hours, 47 minutes. Gibbons was on the field five times in the first six innings for four discussions with the umpires, plus a pitching change. Phelps equaled his career high with 115 pitches and finished strong. He retired pinch-hitter Adam Lind with two on to end the sixth and then struck out two in a perfect seventh. "We really pushed him tonight," manager Joe Girardi said. "He did a great job." The right-hander was fired up, too, clenching his fist and yelling after freezing Jose Reyes for strike three with his final delivery. Phelps made a key defensive play to protect a one-run lead in the fifth. He got Reyes on a soft grounder with the infield in, pinning a runner at third, and then knocked down Cabreras two-out comebacker. Phelps whirled around and scrambled to find the ball near the front of the mound, then zipped a throw to first just in time. "I knew that it went down. I knew it wasnt going to be far away, I just had to get my eyes on it," Phelps said. "Straight scramble mode as soon as it hit me." Cabrera tripped awkwardly over the bag and tumbled hard to the turf, but appeared to be fine. Phelps also picked off Cabrera at second base with two runners on in the first inning and Encarnacion at the plate. Phelps and Girardi both called it the biggest play of the game. "The way our teams been playing right now, its exciting baseball," Phelps said. Encarnacion hit his 21st homer in the eighth, a long drive to left off Shawn Kelley that cut it to 6-4. Yankees hitters ran up Hutchisons pitch count early, just as they did against fellow youngster Marcus Stroman in the series opener. Kelly Johnson had a sacrifice fly in the second and Beltran added one in the third. Making his Yankee Stadium debut, Hutchison (5-5) threw 38 pitches in the second inning and needed 76 to get through three. He was pulled in the fifth trailing 3-2. "Youve got to make better pitches," Hutchison said. "When I got ahead I didnt make good pitches to put them away, and I fell behind quite a bit, too." Beltran hit an RBI double off Aaron Loup, and Brian Roberts stole two bases in the sixth before scoring on Jeters groundout. Steve Delabar walked three in the seventh, including Yangervis Solarte with the bases loaded to make it 6-2. NOTES: Toronto has seven more games scheduled at Yankee Stadium this year. The Blue Jays return on July 25. ... Lind had been sidelined since leaving Saturdays game in Baltimore with a bruised right foot. ... Lights-out Yankees reliever Dellin Betances was unavailable after pitching three scoreless innings in the first two games of the series, Girardi said. ... Johnson was shaken up and removed after the ball hit his left hand when he fouled off a bunt in the sixth. Solarte pinch-hit with a full count and struck out. X-rays on Johnson were negative and he is day to day with bruised fingers. Wholesale Real Air Jordan 1 . According to a report from ESPN, the veteran safety has signed another one-year deal with the team Raiders, the team that drafted him, and who he returned to last year after a long stint with the Green Bay Packers. Discount Air Jordan 1 . Others describe it as taking the parrot for a walk. http://www.airjordan1cheap.com/ . In the days leading up to the draft, TSN.ca and TSN Radio basketball analyst Duane Watson looks at some of the names that will be headlining the event. Tonight, Michigans Nik Stauskas of Mississauga, Ontario. Air Jordan 1 From China . Completely. Two days after releasing Peyton Manning, the longtime face of the franchise, the Colts announced they were cutting four fan favourites: running back Joseph Addai, linebacker Gary Brackett, safety Melvin Bullitt and tight end Dallas Clark. Cheap Air Jordan 1 For Sale . Some will say that Martin is too sensitive while others will say that it is part of the way football is in the locker room. But to have to absorb what was said to him for any rational and intelligent person is too much. TORONTO -- Ricky Ray and Chad Owens heeded their coachs call Saturday. Ray threw for 407 yards and three TDs while Owens amassed 248 all-purpose yards and a touchdown as the Toronto Argonauts stunned the Saskatchewan Roughriders 48-15 before a sparse Rogers Centre gathering of 17,758. The win was redemption for Toronto (1-1), coming off a dismal 45-21 season-opening loss in Winnipeg. Whats more, Saskatchewan (1-1) began its Grey Cup defence registering 10 sacks in a lopsided 31-10 home win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats. On Friday, Argos head coach Scott Milanovich said he was looking forward to seeing which of his players would step up against the defending CFL champions. "Those were two of the guys I expected to do that," Milanovich said of Ray and Owens. "I guess I just expect it at this point. "Last week wasnt good . . . I think our pride was hurt, I think we were embarrassed by the way we showed up. Professional athletes are very competitive, very prideful and to take a whooping like that when you didnt see it coming, that sticks with you. It mayve been a good thing for us in the longterm to kind of open your eyes and show us we need to step up every week." Toronto quickly took control, surging to a 17-1 half-time lead that swelled to 24-1 just five minutes into the second half. Being firmly ahead allowed the Argos to continue utilizing their entire playbook and maintaining a balanced attack to keep Saskatchewans defence guessing. Toronto ran for 161 yards with sophomore Curtis Steele rushing for 59 yards and two TDs on eight carries while rookie Antony Coombs added 52 yards on six carries. Ray also got into the act, running four times for 32 yards. Falling behind forced Saskatchewans run-first offence to go to the air 33 times -- compared to just 15 rushing plays. That allowed Torontos defence to come after Riders quarterback Darian Durant, sacking him five times (four in the second half) and registering two Antwuan Molden interceptions. The newcomer took one 108 yards for a TD late in the game. "I thought it was a key that we get out to a lead . . . it allowed us to stay balanced and continue to mix it up a little bit with our ground game," Milanovich said. "It gave our defence a little confidence playing with the lead and let them come after the quarterback." Torontos defence, which opened the season with just four returning starters, had four more new faces against Saskatchewan. Cornerback Vincent Agnew, safety Jermaine Gabriel, linebacker Molden and defensive tackle Marcus Thomas all started as cornerback Matt Ware, linebacker Jamie Robinson and safety Matt Black went on the injured list while defensive lineman Greg Romeus was placed on the practice roster. But Toronto didnt emerge unscathed as linebacker Shea Emry (head) and slotback Andre Durie (shoulder) were injured. Milanovich wasnt sure how severe either was. Ray completed 29-of-37 passes, many being short underneath tosses that alllowed his receivers to quickly get upfield and gain yards after the catch.dddddddddddd Owens was especially effective, registering 11 catches for 159 yards and a TD while also returning six punts for 89 yards. "Hes so shifty out there," Ray said of Owens. "I just got to get the ball into his hands and hes going to cut all the way across the field and make guys miss and turn short gainers into big plays for us. "Its nice to have a guy like him who makes my job easier. Im not having to throw it 30 yards downfield, Im just throwing the little short ones and hes taking it 40 yards." Owens said it was important for Toronto to rebound from its opening-season loss. "You never want to start the season 0-1, let alone 0-2," he said. "We knew it was a must-win game for us and playing Saskatchewan we knew it was going to be a battle. "Even after the first half I wasnt satisfied with the lead just knowing how quickly they could score." Saskatchewan made it interesting in the third after Rays 14-yard TD strike to Jason Barnes put Toronto ahead 24-1. Durant hit Taj Smith with a 59-yard touchdown strike at 10:22 before finding Antony Allen on a nine-yard toss at 13:16 to pull the Riders to within 25-15. But thats as close as Saskatchewan got as Swayze Waters 40-yard field goal to open the fourth put Toronto ahead 28-15. Durant finished 17-of-29 passing for 295 yards with two TDs and two interceptions. Allen ran for 158 yards on 27 carries last weekend against the Ticats but was held to 66 yards on nine carries versus Toronto. Riders head coach Corey Chamblin admitted he was shocked by the one-sided outcome. "We didnt think the game would turn out this way," he said. "But you have to be perfect to win against Ricky Ray. "I felt we didnt have a good practice and we were not good enough to win off a short week." Durant sensed the Argos defence was intent on redemption following its performance last weekend in Winnipeg. "They had a great defensive gameplan," he said. "They came out after the loss last week and wanted to perform for their fans at the home opener. "We played against a good football team and a great quarterback." Mike Bradwell had Torontos other TD. Waters added five converts, two field goals and a single. Saskatchewans Chris Milo had two converts and a single. NOTES -- Since 2008, Durant has started 12 of Saskatchewans 13 games versus Toronto, the exception being Aug. 9, 2008 when former Argo Michael Bishop was under centre. During that span, the Argos have had seven different quarterbacks face the Riders . . . Slotback Chris Getzlaf and offensive lineman Levy Adcock were Saskatchewans pre-game scratches. Linebacker Greg Jones and defensive lineman Delano Johnson were Torontos scratches . . . Riders defensive back Dwight Anderson celebrated his 33rd birthday Saturday . . . Country artist Brett Kissel performed at halftime. ' ' '