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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. Bert Blyleven Twins Jersey . Directly ahead was open field, the end zone and the Seattle Seahawks place in the NFC championship game. Tom Kelly Jersey .com) - John Wall supplied 24 points and 11 assists in leading the Washington Wizards to a 102-91 win over the New York Knicks on Christmas Day. https://www.cheaptwins.com/ . Price also posted the longest shutout sequence since 1960 at 164:19 minutes. He stopped a combined 55 shots in Canadas final two games and 70 of 71 shots in Canadas three elimination games, allowing only a breakaway goal to Lauris Darzins of Latvia. For his efforts, Price was named best goalkeeper by the tournament directorate. Prices outstanding play is marred only by the extremely strong defensive play of Canadas top six defencemen; Shea Weber, Duncan Keith, Drew Doughty, Marc-Edouard Vlasic, Alex Pietrangelo and Jay Bouwmeester. Frank Viola Twins Jersey .Y. - Geno Smith shouted a couple of mighty expensive expletives. Trevor May Twins Jersey . Sharper briefly appeared in Los Angeles Superior Court, where his arraignment was postponed until Feb. 20 at the request of his lawyers. They issued a statement saying he would be exonerated. Prosecutors then filed a motion to increase Sharpers bail to $10 million and outlined details of investigations involving him in Las Vegas, Tempe, Ariz.LONDON - Tony Romo practiced Thursday for the first time since arriving in London, and the Dallas Cowboys quarterback says his injured back is getting better.Romo missed last Sundays loss to the Arizona Cardinals because of his third back injury in 18 months. He skipped Wednesdays practice following the teams arrival Tuesday.Well keep taking it day by day and just see what happens, Romo said. Its improving each day and I think we did some things today that were positive. Just keep going in that direction, I think well have a good chance (of playing Sunday).The Cowboys (6-3) play the Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8) at Wembley Stadium in the last of three regular-season games in London this year. They have lost their last two games, however, with backup Brandon Weeden playing last weekend.Romo has fractures in two small bones in his back. The injury is unrelated to a herniated disk last year or to off-season surgery to remove a cyst earlier in 2013.The quarterback said Thursday he was still a little sore, but called it normal stuff and said his back loosened up during practice.If youre always waiting to feel great to play in every game you play in, youre only going to pllay a couple of games a year, he said.dddddddddddd The best players are the guys who are able to play at the same level with stuff going on.Even though Romo practiced, Dallas coach Jason Garrett is still not sure who will start.We would never put a player in harms way. Obviously its a very physical sport that we play, Garrett said. He (Romo) has to be functional. He has to be able to protect himself.Against the Cardinals, Weeden threw two interceptions and had one late touchdown. So for the Cowboys, who have a bye next week, getting Romo on the field is a priority if they want to end the two-game losing streak.Even if he is in a little pain.No one cares once you actually step on the field on Sunday whether youre banged up or not, Romo said. Its just about what you do when youre out there.Each day you just get incrementally better, you improve. Im feeling better. I think its getting to a point where you can manage it.Cowboys owner Jerry Jones watched practice and said Romo had a comfortable flight to London.Im anticipating him playing, he said. Have no reason to think that he wont.___Online:AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '