"Scott Rolen put it best, when you're protecting at 0-0 in the count, it's tough," Lyle Overbay said of the wide strike zone by plate umpire Larry Vanover. "It's Mike Mussina out there, he's got 18 years in, he should get those calls, I guess."

With the loss, the Jays fell three games behind the Yankees with five games to place in the race for third in the American League East.

"Third place is certainly better than fourth place," manager Cito Gaston said. "With some luck we wouldn't be playing for third place, we'd just about have it wrapped up. But to finish third is very important for us."

Eight of the Jays' 14 strikeouts came looking. Gregg Zaun struck out four times, getting called out on three of them.

"Guys were complaining about it, but I'm not back there, I can't see it," Gaston said of Vanover's strike zone. "That's a lot of strikeouts."

And in all likelihood a fourth-place finish.

YANKEES 3, BLUE JAYS 1: The Jays tied a season high by striking out 14 times in losing the opening game of the series. Jesse Litsch (12-9) took the loss. Litsch held the Yankees to three runs, two earned, over seven innings, including a solo home run by Jason Giambi. He struck out a career-high eight. It was his first loss since Aug. 28.