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TORONTO (AP) -- The New York Yankees moved closer to clinching the AL East and saw just how much they need closer Mariano Rivera.

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez hit two-run homers and the New York Yankees survived a late Toronto rally by using four relievers in the ninth inning of a 7-6 victory over the Blue Jays on Monday night.

Elias Says
Darrell Rasner started on Monday, and the Yankees are scheduled to start two more rookies -- Jeff Karstens and Sean Henn -- in the series with the Blue Jays. New York hasn't started a rookie in every game of a three-game series since September 1992 when Bob Wickman, Sam Militello and Sterling Hitchcock took the mound. • For more Elias Says, Click here.

New York reduced its magic number to clinching the AL East for a ninth straight season to three. The Yankees could wrap up the division title during the seven-game road trip to Toronto and Tampa Bay.

Rivera, one of baseball's best closers of all-time, has been sidelined since Aug. 31 by a muscle strain near his right elbow.

How much he is missed was apparent in that ninth inning when Toronto scored three runs to get within one and had a runner on base when the last out was finally recorded.

"There's only one Mo. You get spoiled with him pitching the end of games because when he comes in 99 percent of the time it's over with," Jeter said.

Rivera is scheduled for another bullpen session Tuesday and could be pitching in games by Friday.

"He's getting a little antsy right now. He's been in a lot more playful mood lately than he was for 10 days or so," manager Joe Torre said.

Jeter hit a two-run homer, his 14th, off A.J. Burnett (8-8) in the seventh inning to give New York a 4-3 lead.

The Yankees added three runs in the ninth but Toronto matched that in the bottom half, forcing New York to use four pitchers in the final inning. Jose Veras got the last out for the first save of his career.

Rodriguez hit a two-run homer in the sixth, his 34th this season and the 463rd of his career -- moving him into sole possession of 29th place on the all-time list, two behind former Yankee Dave Winfield. The home run brought the Yankees within 3-2.

Torre said Rodriguez's homer woke them up after they played four games in two days against Boston, losing three.

"It's as tired I've seen our group in maybe three years," Rodriguez said. "It's just good to have one game."

Darrell Rasner (3-0) won on three days' rest, allowing three runs and six hits over six innings. Rasner started in place of Cory Lidle, who has tendinitis in his right index finger.

"It was a struggle throughout, but I got through it," Rasner said.

Burnett allowed four runs and seven hits over seven innings as the Blue Jays had a four-game winning streak snapped.

"Two mistakes all night, it got away," Burnett said. "They did what they are supposed to do with it."

Reed Johnson's RBI single in the first gave Toronto a 1-0 lead. Run-scoring doubles by John McDonald and Johnson in the fourth made it 3-0.

New York got three runs in the ninth on Bernie Williams' RBI grounder, Bobby Abreu's RBI single and Andy Phillips' walk with the bases loaded.

Troy Glaus hit a three-run homer off Octavio Dotel -- his 35th of the season and sixth against the Yankees -- to make it 7-6.

Game Notes
Jeter had a 25-game hitting streak ended Sunday. ... New York CF Johnny Damon was ejected by home plate umpire Bill Miller for arguing a called strike on teammate Hideki Matsui. In the fifth inning, Miller ruled that Matsui went around on a checked swing for strike three. Damon argued with Miller from the on-deck circle and was thrown out of the game. It was the first time Damon was ejected this season. Aaron Guiel replaced Damon. ... Rodriguez accidentally smacked first base umpire Eric Cooper in the mouth while running down the line on an infield single in the eighth.