Major League Baseball

Rivera makes 1,000th Yanks appearance

Published May. 25, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

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Jo-Jo Reyes says his winless streak isn't bothering him. His only focus when he steps on the mound is the next pitch, regardless of the hitter or the ballpark.

Everybody else has certainly taken notice.

The left-hander matched a major league record Wednesday by making his 28th consecutive start without earning a victory, leaving after three frustrating innings of the Toronto Blue Jays' 7-3 loss to the New York Yankees.

Reyes hasn't been the winning pitcher since June 13, 2008, when he beat the Los Angeles Angels as a member of the Atlanta Braves. His 28-game winless stretch matches that of Matt Keough, who didn't win a game for the Athletics from Sept. 6, 1978, to Aug. 8, 1979.

''I just worry about preparing for the next start,'' said Reyes, who was traded to Toronto from Atlanta last season in the deal that included Yunel Escobar.

''We have fun with it, but it doesn't get to me,'' Reyes added. ''It's not bothering me.''

Reyes never really gave himself a chance to earn a win Wednesday, allowing back-to-back doubles by Derek Jeter and Curtis Granderson to start the game. The run that Jeter scored pushed him past Cap Anson (1,712) for 23rd place on baseball's career runs scored list.

By the time Reyes (0-4) left after the third inning, the Blue Jays trailed 5-0 and the left-hander was headed for another frustrating afternoon without a victory.

''Jo-Jo wasn't as sharp as he's been,'' Toronto manager John Farrell said. ''He didn't have a consistent location or a consistent command and it cost him.''

If Reyes can take solace in anything, it's this: Keough tossed a complete game in his next start, a 6-1 victory over Milwaukee on Sept. 5, 1979.

''It was a bad one today,'' Reyes said. ''I had been able to spot the fastball, get ahead and use the off-speed when I needed to. The off-speed wasn't really consistent today.''

Andruw Jones hit a pair of two-run homers, Mark Teixeira also hit a two-run shot for the Yankees, while Mariano Rivera made a milestone appearance by working the ninth inning.

The 41-year-old Rivera became the first major league pitcher to make 1,000 appearances with the same team. The 11-time All-Star closer is the 15th player to reach the plateau overall.

''You have to be old to do that,'' Rivera said with a smile. ''You've got to have the right combination, I guess, an organization willing to keep you around and you doing your job.''

Freddy Garcia (3-4) avoided his third straight loss, allowing eight hits but limiting the damage to three runs over 6 1-3 innings. Once a power pitcher, New York's veteran right-hander relied on guile to keep the Blue Jays off balance most of the sun-splashed afternoon.

Jones homered in the second inning and Teixeira in the third off Jo-Jo Reyes. Jones also hit a rocket off Luis Perez in the sixth inning, going 3 for 3 on the afternoon.

It was Jones' 41st multihomer game and first since May 1, 2010, when he went deep twice at Yankee Stadium as a member of the Chicago White Sox.

''They left a couple of pitches over the plate and I took advantage of them,'' Jones said.

The homer binge helped Joe Girardi pass current Orioles skipper Buck Showalter for eighth place on the Yankees' managerial wins list. Girardi has 314 victories in pinstripes.

Juan Rivera, Eric Thames and Jayson Nix each drove in a run for Toronto, but the big bat of Jose Bautista went quiet again. The majors' home run leader managed a lone single in the eighth inning, his first hit in eight at-bats since a first-inning shot Monday night.

''When it comes to my at-bats, I should have done a better job,'' Bautista said. ''I failed twice with men in scoring position.''

NOTES: Jesse Orosco is the all-time leader with 1,252 appearances. ... Toronto caught Granderson asleep at second base in the first inning. Bautista made a diving grab in right and chased Teixeira back with a throw to first. Granderson was still at third, so Juan Rivera threw to second for the rare 9-3-6 double play. ... Yankees setup man Rafael Soriano could be out two months after a visit Wednesday with Dr. James Andrews confirmed he has an inflamed ligament in his right elbow, GM Brian Cashman said.

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