Roy Halladay, left, laughingly avoids a full dose of shaving gel from fellow Blue Jays starter A.J. Burnett after Halladay got his 20th victory of the season Thursday in Toronto. (Nathan Denette/Canadian Press)

Roy Halladay is a 20-game winner for the second time in his career.

The Blue Jays ace reached the gold standard for pitchers in Toronto's home finale on Thursday, tossing his major league-leading ninth complete game to beat the New York Yankees 8-2.

Vernon Wells played a key supporting role, homering and driving in four runs. Rookie Travis Snider banged out three hits including an RBI double.

On the same day the team announced a new contract for manager Cito Gaston, Toronto (84-75) snapped a three-game losing streak while simultaneously ending a string of seven wins by New York (87-72).

"To me, it says we're going to continue to try and win and that's important for me," said Halladay. "I like what Cito has done in the time he's been here. I think we've gone in some good directions and I've always trusted [general manager] J.P. [Ricciardi] …

"I like that they're coming back. I feel confident the organization will continue to go the right way."

Halladay (20-11) gave up just six hits while walking one and fanning five to reach the 20-win plateau for the first time since 2003. That's when the big righty went 22-7 to capture the American League Cy Young Award.

In a rare show of emotion after the final out, Halladay traded hugs with his teammates and tipped his cap to the adoring crowd of 44,346 before repairing to the clubhouse.

"I want everybody to know how much I appreciate them and how important they were in this," said Halladay. "Really it was more than being excited about the number, I just felt like there were a lot of guys who helped me do it."

A second Cy Young isn't out of the question this year, but Halladay may be hard-pressed to receive more votes than Cliff Lee. The Cleveland southpaw is an absurd 22-3 with a league leading 2.54 ERA, besting Halladay's 2.78 mark.

Arizona's Brandon Webb is the only other hurler to reach 20 victories so far this year. The sinker-baller tops the NL with a 22-7 record.

Yanks without 4 stars

On the other end of the pitching spectrum is the Yankees' Carl Pavano. The oft-injured righty lasted just 11 outs on Thursday, giving up five runs on eight hits. It was likely the last appearance in pinstripes for Pavano (4-2) as the Yankees are highly unlikely to exercise the club option on his rich contract.

To be fair, Pavano didn't get much help from a depleted New York batting order that was without sore veterans Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Ivan Rodriguez. Johnny Damon was limited to a pinch-hitting appearance, while closer Mariano Rivera was unavailable after returning to New York on Thursday for end-of-season medical tests, including an MRI exam.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said the 38-year-old Rivera has complained of feeling "cranky," but has no specific medical complaints.

"When I asked him Tuesday if he was OK, he said his whole body was a little cranky because he'd thrown three days in a row," Girardi said. "This is nothing new. Mo's been cranky at 37, cranky at 36, but when you need Mo, he's there for you."

Though the Yankees — like the Jays — were officially eliminated from playoff contention earlier this week, Girardi indicated he would use his regulars for this weekend's series at Boston's Fenway Park, as long as the Red Sox are still in contention for the AL East.

Girardi also said his top guys would definitely play on Sunday when Mike Mussina tries to reach 20 wins for the first time in his brilliant career.

The Blue Jays wrap up the 2008 season with a three-game set in Baltimore.

Jays have Halladay's back

After the Jays squandered a bases-loaded opportunity in the second, Brett Gardner manufactured the game's first run for the Yankees in the third. The substitute centre-fielder doubled into the right-field corner, then scored on Robinson Cano's grounder past a diving Lyle Overbay at first.

Toronto finally broke through against the teetering Pavano in the bottom of the third. Alex Rios singled with two out, stole second, then trotted home when Wells cleared the left-field wall with the 18th homer of his injury-plagued season.

The Jays slugger then made sure Pavano wouldn't last through the fourth inning. Three batters after Joe Inglett's RBI single, Wells smashed a two-run single to left, sending the Yankees starter to the showers with two out and Toronto up 5-1.

"The thing with [Halladay], if you can give him a few, he doesn't need too many," said Wells.

Halladay paid for a leadoff walk in the fifth as No. 7 hitter Cody Ransom came around to count on an double-play groundout by Francisco Cervelli.

But Halladay's mates had his back with two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Those came courtesy of RBI doubles by Snider and Gregg Zaun off reliever Dan Giese, the first of five New York relievers on the night.

Toronto tacked on more insurance in the seventh when Marco Scutaro scored Zaun with a single off Humberto Sanchez.

Halladay didn't need the extra support, though. He worked a perfect eighth, then fanned Bobby Abreu leading off the ninth for his 206th strikeout of the year, a career high.

Halladay finished off the game — and his big league-leading 246th inning — by inducing pinch hitter Damon to ground out to second.

With files from the Canadian Press