NEW YORK — Ichiro Suzuki's seventh consecutive base hit, dating to Wednesday, gave the Yankees a lead Thursday night during a seven-run fourth inning capped by Nick Swisher's grand slam.
Derek Jeter chipped in with the first of his two RBI singles in a 10-7 victory over the Blue Jays, boosting the Yanks' AL East lead to one game over the idle Orioles with 13 to play.
Phil Hughes made it into the record books despite a pedestrian five-inning start that required 102 pitches. In the fourth, Hughes became the second Yankee ever to strike out four batters in one inning — due to a batter reaching on catcher Russell Martin's passed ball.
"Having this momentum come at this point in the season, I think that's the Yankees," Suzuki said through a translator. "And I think that's what makes this team special."
Swisher's grand slam was the 10th by the Yankees this season, matching a club record.
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