A-Rod Homers, Burnett Stifles Jays In Yanks Win

July 3, 2009 6:28 p.m. EST

New York, NY (AHN) - What a difference a little rest makes.

The highest paid player in baseball made a quick impact on his team upon his return early May from hip surgery. Alex Rodriguez immediately sparked the Yanks into first-place contention and made his teammates better.

While his teammates continued to improve, A-Rod fell into an extended slump. Rodriguez sat out two games after going 3-for-34 (.088) in his previous ten games. The Yanks went just 4-6 over that same stretch.

Since then, Rodriguez has regained his touch.

Rodriguez hit a solo home run and A.J. Burnett limited his former team to two runs in seven innings to lift the New York Yankees to a 4-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays Friday afternoon.

The homer was his third in the past four games. A-Rod is 11-for-29 (.379) with five home runs, 14 RBI and 12 walks in his last nine games.

Robinson Cano homered to straight center field. The Yanks manufactured runs using small ball when Mark Teixeira scored on a bases-loaded walk and Johnny Damon came home on a passed ball.

Toronto's Vernon Wells and Alex Rios, traditional top-of-the-lineup batters, batted sixth and seventh after recent slumps. They combined 3-for-8 and drove in a run each.

Brian Tallet gave up three runs (two earned) in six innings to earn a quality start, but also a loss that dropped him to 5-6 on the year.

New York (46-33) has the third best record in baseball behind the Red Sox and Dodgers, but remains 2.5 games behind Boston for first in the AL East.

Toronto (42-39) is struggling in a tough division, playing well, but in a meager fourth place 7.5 games back in the AL East.