Kuroda pitches great, Yanks beat the Jays.

Hiroki Kuroda continued his run as the Yankee best pitchers this season, when he was able to go 8 innings, allowing only 2 runs and no runs, while walking 1 and striking out 5 over 108 pitches, against a Toronto Blue Jays club that he's seen so much of this season.

It was the 3rd time that Kuroda has faced the Blue Jays this season and in those three starts, he's only allowed just four runs in 21 1/3 innings, with a current streak of 12 consecutive scoreless innings. Picking up wins in those three starts.

"Tip your hat to Kuroda, he pitched a good game, again, against us." Said Jays pitcher Mark Buerhle. "When you run into hot pitching like that, you try to shut them down for as long as you can."

Kuroda had his pitches working for him all night, as he only permitted three Jays hitters to reach base against him. It was Kuroda's 2nd straight start reaching at least the 8th inning.

"He's very good, he's definitely one of the better ones in the league and he's had our number," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "We haven't been able to do anything with him. I think the last time we were here, the first couple of innings we were swinging off of him, but other than that, he has been lights out."

The Yankees offense was kept silent against the Mariners, but it woke up against Mark Buerhle and the Blue Jays. Buerhle coming into Friday, had lost his last 7 starts against the Bombers and that streak wasn't going to end.

Jayson Nix drove in a pair of runs in the ballgame. Nix went 0-for-0 at the plate with two walks and two sac-flies. Robinson Cano went 0-for-4 at the plate and left 5 runners in scoring position. He did, however, drive in a run on an RBI ground out in the 2nd.

David Adams playing in only his 3rd career big league game, went 2-for-4 at the plate, with a ground rule double in the 7th. Adams has four hits in three games in pinstripes.

Preston Claiborne put a couple runners on base in the 9th, prompting Mariano Rivera to start throwing in the bullpen. But Claiborne got J.P. Arencibia to pop out to Romine behind the plate to end the game and clinch a 5-0 Yankees victory.

With the 8th shutout innings, Kuroda lowered his season ERA to 1.99 and improved his record to 6-2. He's 5-1 since starting the season 1-1 after two poor outings.

"Tonight was not a whole lot different from what we've seen all year," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He expects to do well.....He's been so good for us."

The Yankees are now 7-1 against the Jays this season and will look to continue that pace on Saturday when David Phelps (1-2, 4.33 ERA) squares off with Brandon Marrow (1-2, 4.69 ERA) at 1:05 ET from the Bronx.

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