PH Marcus Thames singles in 10th, Yankees beat Blue Jays 7-6 in his first AB back from DL

Thames wins it for Yanks in 10th, 7-6 over Jays

NEW YORK — Pinch-hitter Marcus Thames had a game-ending single in the bottom of the 10th inning to give the New York Yankees a 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays despite having three runners thrown out at home plate Sunday.

Robinson Cano walked and was sacrificed to second before Brett Gardner also walked. Thames, activated off the DL earlier in the day, received a postgame curtain call from what remained of the Independence Day crowd of 46,810.

The Yankees appeared to have a come-from-behind win all gift-wrapped for owner George Steinbrenner’s 80th birthday, but Mariano Rivera blew a save for the second time this season.

DeWayne Wise hit a tying single off Rivera in the ninth and flubbed a catch to let the Yankees tie it on Gardner’s inside-the-park homer. Wise hit a go-ahead three-run homer in the fifth.

David Robertson (1-3) struck out Jose Molina to end the top of the 10th with a runner on third.

Mark Teixeira hit a go-ahead double in the seventh, an inning after Brett Gardner tied it with an inside-the-park home run that was a result of Wise’s fielding blunder. Two runs scored on Gardner’s two-out drive to deep center after Wise appeared to lose the ball in the sun, falling down as the ball glanced off the top of his glove and rolled to the wall and allowing Gardner to scamper home.

The Blue Jays took a 4-3 lead on in the fifth inning on Wise’s three-run shot off the pole in right field.

Yankees starter Phil Hughes, announced as an All-Star before the game, allowed five runs in six innings.

Wise, nearly a year removed from the juggling, home-run robbing catch he made against the wall to preserve Buehrle’s perfect game in the ninth inning, put the Blue Jays up 4-3 before he let New York back in the game.

Damaso Marte pitched a perfect seventh inning and Joba Chamberlain handed a one-run lead to Rivera, who hadn’t allowed a run since May 25.

Shawn Camp, manager Cito Gaston’s most trusted middle reliever this season, allowed singles to Derek Jeter and Nick Swisher before Teixeira’s double down the right-field line put the Yankees ahead. Swisher was thrown out at home for the second time in the game on Francisco Cervelli’s foul pop to right to end the inning.

The Blue Jays ran their home run total to 120, best in the big leagues. Lyle Overbay hit a solo shot in the third and Adam Lind added his 10th of the year on a solo homer in the sixth.

No. 9 hitter John McDonald singled with two outs after falling behind 0-2, then Fred Lewis walked before Wise’s first homer since August.

The Yankees looked as if they’d get some runs back in the bottom of the fifth, but Nick Swisher was thrown out at home on Teixeira’s deep double to center. Texieira was also out at the plate trying to come home after Alex Rodriguez popped out to shallow center on the first pitch.

Teixeira hit a tying sacrifice fly in the third before Rodriguez singled home another run. Ramiro Pena singled home a run in the fourth.

NOTES: Steinbrenner celebrated his birthday in Florida with friends and family, according to a statement from his personal PR firm. … Encarnacion’s bat flew out of his hands in the fourth inning, spinning into the seats behind the third-base dugout before clattering off the concrete face at the back of the moat separating the luxury seats from the lower-level ones. … The Blue Jays’ white hats had a red maple leaf inside the logo, while the other 29 teams had stars and stripes inside theirs. … NBA free agent Amare Stoudemire was at the game. … The Yankees had three runners thrown out at the plate. … Gardner hit a grand slam the day before. … Rivera had converted his past 25 chances against the Blue Jays.