Lind homers as Blue Jays beat Yankees 8-3

The Blue Jays rookie right-hander was more efficient Monday - and way more effective.

Adam Lind hit a three-run home run in his return to the starting lineup, Stroman won for the first time in three starts and the Toronto Blue Jays beat New York 8-3, handing the Yankees their third straight loss.

Stroman (4-2) allowed one run and three hits in a career-high eight innings. He walked one and matched a career high with seven strikeouts.

''It was a fantastic job,'' Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. ''We needed that.''

Stroman took the loss in a 3-1 defeat at Yankee Stadium last Tuesday, throwing 98 pitches in 3 2-3 innings, his shortest start of the year.

This time, Stroman made sure the pitches didn't pile up early by pounding the strike zone.

''Better overall command,'' Stroman said when asked what was working this time around. ''Throwing the ball in the strike zone more and making better pitches.''

Lind drove in four runs and Dioner Navarro had two RBIs for Toronto.

''Lindy is a big part of this offense,'' Gibbons said. ''He kills right-handers.''

The AL East-leading Blue Jays scored as many runs in this game against New York as they managed over three games while being swept at Yankee Stadium last week.

New York rookie Chase Whitley (3-1) saw his three-start winning streak snapped, allowing season highs of 11 hits and eight runs over 3 1-3 innings, the shortest of his eight outings this season. Whitley walked three and struck out two.

''I couldn't command the ball at all, like I have been in the past,'' Whitley said. ''I got away from the game plan.''

Mark Teixeira homered off Stroman in the fourth for New York's only run. The Yankees, who lost 8-0 to Baltimore Sunday, have scored just four runs during their three-game skid, two of them on solo homers by Teixeira. They did not put a runner in scoring position until the ninth inning against the Blue Jays.

Girardi said he hasn't lost faith in his lineup despite the recent run of meager production.

''The last three days we've struggled a little bit but tomorrow's a new day,'' Girardi said.

New York averaged more than five runs per game in the five contests before this skid, and Girardi said more dependable production is a must.

''We have to become more consistent,'' Girardi said. ''That's one thing that we have to do.''

Lind started for the first time since June 14 at Baltimore, when he fouled a ball off his right foot and sustained a bone bruise. He had made three pinch-hit appearances since.

Lind hit an RBI single in the first, then added the big blow in Toronto's six-run, 10-batter second. Jose Reyes drove in a run with a bases-loaded fielder's choice, Melky Cabrera hit an RBI single and Navarro capped the inning with a two-out RBI double.

''That gave us a little breathing room and guys could relax,'' said Gibbons, whose team had lost 11 of its previous 15.

Teixeira's two-out blast in the fourth cut it to 7-1, but the Blue Jays answered in the bottom half when Navarro ended Whitley's outing with an RBI single.

New York's Yangervis Solarte came on defensively in the eighth and snapped an 0 for 28 slump with an RBI single off Chad Jenkins in the ninth. Kelly Johnson added an RBI double before Aaron Loup came on and finished it by getting Brian Roberts to fly out.

NOTES: Teixeira started after leaving Sunday's game when he was hit on the left foot by a pitch. ... Toronto OF Jose Bautista (left hamstring) did not start. Bautista left Sunday's loss at Cincinnati and had an MRI Monday. ... The Blue Jays placed 3B Brett Lawrie (broken right index finger) on the 15-day DL, optioned C Erik Kratz to Triple-A Buffalo and recalled outfielders Anthony Gose and Kevin Pillar from Triple-A. Lawrie is expected to miss three to six weeks. ... Yankees SS Derek Jeter got a scheduled day off. ... New York RH David Phelps (3-4) faces Toronto LH Mark Buehrle (10-4) on Tuesday.