MLB

Rivera on hold at 600 as Yanks lose to Jays 5-4

TORONTO — Mariano Rivera remained on hold at 600 saves when CC Sabathia failed to hold a fifth-inning lead and Jose Molina’s single in the ninth lifted the Blue Jays over the Yankees 5-4 Friday night.

Ahead 3-1, Sabathia allowed a three-run double to Aaron Lind in the fifth. Nick Swisher’s RBI single tied it in the sixth, but Lind doubled off Boone Logan (5-3) leading off the ninth. Molina, who played for the Yankees from 2007-09, singled with one out off Cory Wade.

New York lost its second straight game on the last at-bat since Rivera got his 600th save Tuesday at Seattle, moving within one of Trevor Hoffman’s career record.

The Yankees, whose AL East lead over second-place Boston was cut to 3 1-2 games, dropped to 3-5 on a 10-game trip that concludes with weekend games at Toronto. New York then returns to Yankee Stadium for a homestand that originally was five games but has swelled to eight because of rainouts.

Casey Janssen (5-0) pitched two scoreless innings as Toronto won for the fourth time in five games.

Sabathia failed to earn his 20th win for the second straight start. The Yankees ace needed 120 pitches to get through 5 2-3 innings, matched a season-high by allowing 10 hits and walked four.

Jose Bautista, 0 for 19 against CC Sabathia coming in, singled in the first to put runners at the corners, and Edwin Encarnacion hit into a run-scoring forceout.

Swisher’s RBI double and Eric Chavez’s second homer of the season, a two-run drive, put the Yankees ahead 3-1 in the third against Dustin McGowan.

McGowan started in place of Brett Cecil, scratched because of a cut left index finger sustained while cleaning a blender Wednesday. McGowan allowed three runs and three hits in a season-high five innings.

NOTES: Yankees 3B Alex Rodriguez (left thumb) missed his sixth straight game but was expected to return to the lineup Saturday. … Cecil is to tart Tuesday against the Los Angeles Angels. … Sabathia made his 100th regular-season appearance with New York. … Yankees manager Joe Girardi said C Francisco Cervelli is still bothered by concussion-like symptoms stemming from a Sept. 8 collision with Baltimore’s Nick Markakis. Cervelli, who is not traveling with the team, saw a neurologist Friday and will undergo more tests next week. … Toronto OF Colby Rasmus returned to the lineup for the first time since injuring his right wrist on Aug. 23. … Blue Jays SS Yunel Escobar (bruised left elbow) missed his fourth straight game. … The retractable roof at Rogers Centre was open during batting practice but began to close during the first inning.