NEW YORK -- David Phelps put his pitches in all the right places against a struggling team that was stuck in the wrong spot. Phelps threw seven strong innings, Carlos Beltran drove in two runs and the New York Yankees beat Toronto 6-4 Thursday night for their 16th consecutive home win over the Blue Jays. "Everything was a little bit crisper today," Phelps said. "I was able to be aggressive the entire game." Jacoby Ellsbury stole two bases, scored twice and hit one of three early sacrifice flies for the Yankees off Drew Hutchison. New York swiped four bags in all and scratched out its fifth run when Brett Gardner was going as Derek Jeter hit an RBI groundout -- preventing an inning-ending double play. Phelps (3-4) yielded two runs and struck out seven in winning his second straight outing after a four-start skid. The Yankees earned their first three-game sweep at home this season and sliced Torontos lead in the AL East to 1 1/2 games. "Big series for us," reliever Adam Warren said after New York won for the seventh time in nine games. "Its nice to kind of see our team click a little bit and play some good baseball." Citing research by the Elias Sports Bureau, the Yankees said the winning streak against Toronto is their longest at home against one team since a 19-game run vs. Cleveland from June 1960 to April 1962. Melky Cabrera and Edwin Encarnacion each hit a two-run homer for the Blue Jays, who have lost nine of 12 and were swept for the first time since Sept. 10-12 last season by the Los Angeles Angels. Toronto has dropped 25 of 27 at Yankee Stadium dating to 2011 and hasnt won in the Bronx since Aug. 29, 2012. "Hey, if youre going to play in prime time, youve got to perform on the big stage and we didnt do it," manager John Gibbons said. "Were fully capable of doing it. We just didnt do it. Itll be definitely good to move on." With closer David Robertson receiving a rest, Warren got two outs for his second save -- ending a rhythm-less game that took 3 hours, 47 minutes. Gibbons was on the field five times in the first six innings for four discussions with the umpires, plus a pitching change. Phelps equaled his career high with 115 pitches and finished strong. He retired pinch-hitter Adam Lind with two on to end the sixth and then struck out two in a perfect seventh. "We really pushed him tonight," manager Joe Girardi said. "He did a great job." The right-hander was fired up, too, clenching his fist and yelling after freezing Jose Reyes for strike three with his final delivery. Phelps made a key defensive play to protect a one-run lead in the fifth. He got Reyes on a soft grounder with the infield in, pinning a runner at third, and then knocked down Cabreras two-out comebacker. Phelps whirled around and scrambled to find the ball near the front of the mound, then zipped a throw to first just in time. "I knew that it went down. I knew it wasnt going to be far away, I just had to get my eyes on it," Phelps said. "Straight scramble mode as soon as it hit me." Cabrera tripped awkwardly over the bag and tumbled hard to the turf, but appeared to be fine. Phelps also picked off Cabrera at second base with two runners on in the first inning and Encarnacion at the plate. Phelps and Girardi both called it the biggest play of the game. "The way our teams been playing right now, its exciting baseball," Phelps said. Encarnacion hit his 21st homer in the eighth, a long drive to left off Shawn Kelley that cut it to 6-4. Yankees hitters ran up Hutchisons pitch count early, just as they did against fellow youngster Marcus Stroman in the series opener. Kelly Johnson had a sacrifice fly in the second and Beltran added one in the third. Making his Yankee Stadium debut, Hutchison (5-5) threw 38 pitches in the second inning and needed 76 to get through three. He was pulled in the fifth trailing 3-2. "Youve got to make better pitches," Hutchison said. "When I got ahead I didnt make good pitches to put them away, and I fell behind quite a bit, too." Beltran hit an RBI double off Aaron Loup, and Brian Roberts stole two bases in the sixth before scoring on Jeters groundout. Steve Delabar walked three in the seventh, including Yangervis Solarte with the bases loaded to make it 6-2. NOTES: Toronto has seven more games scheduled at Yankee Stadium this year. The Blue Jays return on July 25. ... Lind had been sidelined since leaving Saturdays game in Baltimore with a bruised right foot. ... Lights-out Yankees reliever Dellin Betances was unavailable after pitching three scoreless innings in the first two games of the series, Girardi said. ... Johnson was shaken up and removed after the ball hit his left hand when he fouled off a bunt in the sixth. Solarte pinch-hit with a full count and struck out. X-rays on Johnson were negative and he is day to day with bruised fingers. Cheap Nike Air Vapormax . Western and the second-ranked Laval Rouge et Or (7-0) once again received 20 and 10 first-place votes from the Football Reporters of Canada panel, respectively. Rounding out the Top 10 are the Calgary Dinos (7-0), Queens Gaels (7-1), Guelph Gryphons (7-1), Montreal Carabins (5-2), Bishops Gaiters (5-2), McMaster Marauders (5-3), Manitoba Bisons (4-3) and the Saskatchewan Huskies (4-3) Western crushed York 50-10 last Saturday in its league finale to secure first place in the OUA standings and a bye in the first round of the conference playoffs. White Nike Air Vapormax . -- The Anaheim Ducks have signed left wing Dany Heatley to a one-year deal, returning the 33-year-old unrestricted free agent to the Pacific Division. http://www.cheapairvapormaxsale.com/.S.-Portugal game on June 22 in the Amazonian jungle city of Manaus. FIFPro, the international soccer players union, had pressed FIFA to avoid the earliest kickoffs in the hottest and most humid weather. Nike Air Vapormax Outlet .com) - Hassan Whiteside scored 20 points with nine rebounds in the Miami Heats 83-75 win over the Boston Celtics on Sunday. Nike Air Vapormax Discount .com) - The Los Angeles Kings werent playing their best hockey before the league went on break during the Winter Olympics.FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Santonio Holmes is close to playing again for the New York Jets. After missing five games because of a hamstring injury, the wide receiver was limited in practice Wednesday but coach Rex Ryan was optimistic Holmes could be on the field Sunday at Buffalo. "I think now hes in a good spot and ready to return," Ryan said. "In my opinion, I think hell play. Well see as the week goes on, but I feel pretty good about him playing." Holmes went down in the Jets 38-13 loss at Tennessee on Oct. 3 and has been rehabilitating since. It appeared he might have a chance at playing in the Jets last game against New Orleans on Nov. 3, but was kept out and used the bye-week break to continue to heal. "He had a major hamstring injury," Ryan said. "It was the worst one weve had this year, by far. He was trying to come back and he did a great job in rehab. I think at the end, it got closer and closer. "Could he have played against New Orleans? If it was the Super Bowl, maybe. But Im not sure of that." Holmes, speaking after practice, acknowledged that hes excited about the prospects of playing this weekend, but is trying to remain cautiously optimistic. "At this point, its still day by day," he said. "Im inching a lot closer to playing and I just have to get the green light from the trainers. I can say, Yeah, I want to play, but the production on the field at practice and during the rehab stuff has to be drastically improved for them to give me the green light." His return would be a big boost to the Jets receiving corps, which will be without Jeremy Kerley for at least a few weeks with a dislocated elbow. Holmes, who missed most of last season with a foot injury, has 10 catches for 243 yards and a TD in four games. "At this point, being 5-4, we need all of our hands on deck," Holmes said. "So to get an opportunity to play with this team and to push for a playoff run is something that all of us want around here. I definitely have got to continue to take it one day at a time and be smart about the decision I want to make for the team and not just for myself." When healthy, Holmes is a proven playmaker and a player who commands attention from opposing defences. That could open opportunities for others, includinng Stephen Hill, who was held without a catch against New Orleans and has just 10 receptions for 107 yards in the five games Holmes has been sidelined.dddddddddddd The Jets have had to rely on contributions from unlikely sources in recent weeks, such as David Nelson, Josh Cribbs, Greg Salas and Zach Sudfeld -- all of whom who werent on the team until last month. "Tone definitely brings a lot of energy to our offence and veteran leadership," rookie quarterback Geno Smith said. "Hes obviously a tremendous playmaker and can make plays out on the field. Its just good to have him back. Hes a guy who definitely was a major part of this offence and we missed having over the span of time he wasnt here." Smith and Holmes were still working on building a rapport at the time of the receivers injury. Holmes was gradually worked back into the offence during training camp as he healed from his foot injury, and that slowed the chemistry. There were simple things such as knowing the routes Holmes likes to run, how Smith delivers the football and developing a trust in each other that the two are just getting back to improving. "At this point right now, its about moving forward and looking forward for what we can do now," Holmes said, "and not worry about what we didnt have in the beginning." Theres more good news for Smith and the Jets offence: Tight ends Kellen Winslow Jr. and Jeff Cumberland are expected to return. Winslow is back off a four-game suspension for violating the NFLs performance-enhancing substances policy, while Cumberland missed New Yorks last game because of a concussion. "It makes our offence, I think, not only more diverse, but it gives is a chance to exploit some matchups," Smith said. Kerley didnt practice, as expected, and Hill was limited with foot and knee ailments, but Ryan downplayed those. "I think hes had some of those (injuries)," Ryan said of Hill. "And, again, he practice. He was limited, but I dont know how limited. He looked pretty good to me." Defensive end Leger Douzable (illness) and linebacker Garrett McIntyre (knee) did not practice, while defensive tackle Kenrick Ellis (back) and backup running back Alex Green (hamstring) were limited. ' ' '