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It was probably too much to expect the Blue Jays to win three games in a row from the New York Yankees to set up the possibility Sunday of a four-game sweep.

The Blue Jays had the chance though on Saturday, but lost 5-4 to the Yankees before a sell-out crowd of 50,014 at a closed-roof Rogers Centre. It was the largest crowd since 50,449 attended the season opener against the Minnesota Twins on April 4.

The Blue Jays took a 4-3 lead into the seventh but Brandon League, who had just entered the game, allowed Bernie Williams's leadoff single on a 97-miles-an-hour fastball.

Scott Downs, 4-1, who took the loss, came in with one out and gave up Melky Cabrera's single and pinch-hitter Jason Giambi's run-scoring double that just eluded first baseman Lyle Overbay.

"It was close," Overbay said. "I thought he hit it harder and I might have been able to take another half step instead of just stepping and diving. It's just one of those things where the bounce went their way this time."

Johnny Damon was walked intentionally. Justin Speier came in to strike out Miguel Cairo but walked Derek Jeter with the bases loaded to force in the go-ahead run.

Speier struck out Alex Rodriguez to end the inning. Rodriguez, who struck out four times in the game, started as the designated hitter but took over at third base in the ninth. He made the catch on the game-ending pop-up. His fielding in the first two games contributed greatly to the Blue Jays' victories. It was the first four-strikeout game for Rodriguez since June 22, 1995.

Mariano Rivera picked up his 23rd save of the season in the 700th game of his major-league career. Kyle Farnsworth, who threw one pitch clocked at 101 mph and was consistently at 99 with a 90-mph slider, struck out the side in the eighth but did receive a scare on a long foul by Eric Hinske.

"He threw a fastball right over the middle of the plate and I was early," Hinske said. "I cheated a little bit too much and was caught out front a little bit. He made good pitches after that."

The Blue Jays' final hit of the game was Frank Catalanotto's double high off the right-field wall with one out in the seventh against Scott Proctor that just missed going out. Scott Proctor struck out Vernon Wells and Troy Glaus to end the threat.

Both starting pitchers put in six innings.

Toronto's Ted Lilly allowed four hits and three runs with eight strikeouts and two walks (108 pitches, 73 strikes).

New York's starter, Chien-Ming Wang, 11-4, allowed 10 hits and four runs with one strikeout and one walk and picked up the victory.

Each allowed a home run. Williams hit a two-run homer (No. 7) in the second against Lilly.

Hinske homered with the bases empty (No. 9) against Wang in the fourth to tie the game 2-2.

The Yankees took a 2-0 lead on Williams's homer that followed Jorge Posada's one-out triple. Lilly's second pitch to Posada went over his head but hit the bat for a foul. Posada and Lilly had words. Posada tripled to left centre on an unfortunate change-up as the ball just eluded Wells's leap.

"I think he just asked me what happened," Lilly said of the confrontation. "I think Jorge is a pretty competitive person and obviously he was uncomfortable with that pitch. I think if was going to try and hit him I think I'd try to do it with a four-seam fastball instead of a cutter, really. I gave up that hit to him because I threw a poor change-up."

During the exchange of words, Posada waved two fingers at Lilly. The pitcher was asked if that meant it is the second time has come close to Posada. "I guess so," Lilly said. "I don't know who's counting. That's not one of the things I've been paying attention to. I just wanted to get him out. He's a tough at-bat."

The Blue Jays scored in the bottom of the second on Overbay's infield single and one-out singles by Hinske and Aaron Hill.

The Blue Jays took a 4-2 lead in the fifth on Overbay's two-run double with two out that scored Catalanotto and Wells who had singled.

The Yankees scored in the sixth when Lilly was charged with a balk. Damon led off the inning with a walk, stole second and took third on Jeter's single. The balk was called with two out when Lilly threw to first base as the Yankees started the runners with Posada at the plate. It was ruled that Lilly had committed to home plate before throwing to first.

"I think it was kind of a border line balk," Lilly said. "I've done it a few times this year. I think it's close and I haven't been called on it until now."

Sidney Ponson is scheduled to face Shaun Marcum in the final game of the series Sunday.