One poorly pitched inning and a bobbled ball by another hurler cost the Toronto Blue Jays a chance at a rare series victory at Yankee Stadium.

Starter Dustin McGowan allowed a pair of runs in the sixth inning, while an error by relief pitcher Scott Downs on a Johnny Damon bunt in the eighth led to the winning score in a 3-2 loss on Thursday night.

Blue Jays pitcher Dustin McGowan delivers against the Yankees in Thursday's series finale.
(Bill Kostroun/Associated Press)

Bobby Abreu looped a single to centre field that scored Melky Cabrera for the winning run off Downs as the Yankees overcame a 2-0 deficit to prevent Toronto from posting its first three-game series win in the Bronx since Sept. 29-Oct. 1, 2006.

"Those little things [are] what's going to help us," Abreu said. "We don't have to just wait for a homer, especially in this [cold, damp] weather."

Added Damon: "I think we're a lot smarter [this season]. We need to keep
doing the manufacturing [of runs], and it could be a bit different this year. We know what we have to do. We've got to win as many games as possible and if it means we have to bunt, then so be it."

Joba Chamberlain picked up his first win of the season in relief and closer Mariano Rivera got the final three outs for his second save and No. 445 for his career.

However, the Yankees stopper had to work for it as Blue Jays centre-fielder Vernon Wells led off the ninth inning with a single to improve to three-for-14 lifetime against Rivera.

A Shannon Stewart fielder's choice and Lyle Overbay groundout advanced Wells to third, where he remained as Aaron Hill struck out looking.

"It was just like the first game here. Tight ball game. You've got to be able to win some of them. I thought we left all those tight games behind us last year, but I guess not," Toronto manager John Gibbons said. "We just didn't make a play on that one bunt play."

Reliever Brian Wolfe took the loss for the Blue Jays, who play their home opener on Friday against the Boston Red Sox (7:15 p.m. ET).

Toronto jumped out to a 3-0 lead early in Wednesday's 5-2 victory and opened the scoring in the series finale against Yankees rookie Phil Hughes, who matched McGowan pitch-for-pitch through three innings.

"I pitched against him a couple times in triple-A. He's a good pitcher," McGowan said. "We'll have a lot more duels I think."

The 21-year-old Hughes, the youngest pitcher in the majors, featured a sharp curveball in his first outing of the season. He and McGowan both allowed two runs and four hits in six innings, with four strikeouts apiece.

"Phil Hughes was ready when he got to camp, and he wanted to grab a hold of this role," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Shortstop David Eckstein led off the fourth frame with a double and moved to third base on a Matt Stairs groundout. The next batter, Alex Rios, singled Eckstein home and extended his hitting streak to 23 games against New York.

It is the longest by a player versus New York since Detroit Hall of Famer Charlie Gehringer had a 31-game run from 1935-36, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Rios then stole second base and scampered to third on Robinson Cano's fielding error. But Hughes collected himself and struck out Wells and Frank Thomas, who was ejected by home plate umpire Bill Miller for arguing balls and strikes.

"He was giving corners all day, but that was a terrible call," Thomas said of Miller. "I don't run to first base unless I know it's a ball. The ball was way out of the strike zone."

Eckstein drove home third baseman Marco Scutaro with two out in the fifth to make it 2-0.

The Yankees drew even in the sixth inning, scoring two runs on a double by Damon, hit batter, walk, wild pitch and Jason Giambi sacrifice fly.

The flu-ridden McGowan, who watched Wednesday's game from the team's hotel, improved to 3-2 versus New York in 10 career appearances.

Toronto's Shaun Marcum will face Red Sox knuckleballer Tim Wakefield in Friday's opener of a three-game series.