Davis’ Home Run Beats Blue Jays

Chili Davis delivered the game-winning hit for the New York Yankees, but Tino Martinez at least deserves an assist.

“If he [losing pitcher Dan Plesac] had gotten Tino, I would have walked Chili,” Toronto Blue Jay Manager Jim Fregosi said after the Yankees won, 7-4, Saturday at New York on Davis’ three-run homer in the eighth inning. The victory moves the Yankees back into first place in the AL East.

Martinez walked on a full count after Bernie Williams hit a leadoff double to set up Davis’s fifth homer and the Yankees’ fourth consecutive win.

Davis, who hit three homers last year while limited to 35 games because of an ankle injury, has been one of the Yankees’ hottest hitters in April. He is batting .389 with a team-high 17 runs batted in.

“I’m feeling pretty decent at the plate right now and I just want to ride it as long as I can,” said Davis, who is nine for 16 with seven RBIs during the Yankees’ streak.

Ramiro Mendoza (2-1) pitched the eighth for the win and Mariano Rivera earned his fourth save with a hitless ninth.

Trailing, 2-0, New York scored four unearned runs off Roy Halladay in the fourth. Halladay issued two two-out walks, wrapped around an error by second baseman Pat Kelly to load the bases. Chuck Knoblauch and Derek Jeter each followed with two-run singles.