TORONTO -- The Yankees have not yet committed to the idea of churning out a six-man rotation down the stretch of their playoff push. But Mike Mussina may have given them something to think about. Rebounding from a horrid skid that saw the veteran right-hander grudgingly take up residence in the bullpen, Mussina kept pace on the road to redemption on Wednesday, pitching 5 2/3 innings of shutout ball in the Yankees' 4-1 victory over the Blue Jays. Having worked himself out of the Yankees' September plans by enduring a three-start span in which he went 0-3 with a 17.69 ERA, Mussina appeared more like his confident self in handcuffing the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, leading the Yankees to their seventh consecutive victory. After breaking a string of 498 consecutive starts with a decent relief appearance on Sept. 3, Mussina was back for more progress. Making inordinate use of his infield defense, particularly second baseman Robinson Cano, Mussina limited Toronto to five hits and three walks, striking out one before yielding a two-on, two-out situation to reliever Edwar Ramirez in the sixth. The Yankees scored twice in the top of the first inning, taking a quick lead against Blue Jays starter Dustin McGowan. After Bobby Abreu and Alex Rodriguez walked, Hideki Matsui -- mired in a 2-for-31 skid -- came through with a run-scoring single to left, just his second RBI in 29 at-bats to open September New York extended the advantage in the fourth, as Cano came through with a line drive single to left-center field, scoring Matsui and Jorge Posada. McGowan's evening was finished after five innings, and he was charged with four runs on three hits. The right-hander walked three and struck out six. After pitching a scoreless seventh inning, rookie Joba Chamberlain allowed the first run of his career -- an unearned run -- in the top of the eighth, leaving with two outs and two runners on base. A throwing error by Rodriguez on a grounder hit by Aaron Hill brought home Russ Adams with Toronto's first run and opened the door for Mariano Rivera, who recorded a four-out save. --

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