TORONTO -- Left-hander J.A. Happ was able to limit the damage and the Toronto Blue Jays were able to inflict some of their own.

The result was a 7-2 victory for the Toronto Blue Jays over the New York Yankees on Wednesday.

"I think the best thing about tonight is that I was to make some pitches in big situations and minimize the damage," said Happ (1-0) who earned his first win of the season in his second start.

"I thought he was really good," manager John Gibbons said. "The key was when he had first and third and no outs (in the fifth inning) and they got one run. That was key."

The Blue Jays (4-5), who have been struggling at the plate, scored four runs in the eighth against right-hander Ivan Nova to pull away.

"We were battling at the plate and to see us add some more at the end of the game that was awesome," Happ said.

"I thought he pitched very well against us," said Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, who hit his third home run of the season in the eighth inning against right-hander Drew Storen. "We had some hard-hit balls and just couldn't string enough together, couldn't get enough guys on base and get any kind of momentum. He really mixed it up in and out, up and down, kept us off-balance."

The teams have split the first two games of a three-game set and the rubber match will be played Thursday.

Ryan Goins had three hits and two RBIs to lead the Blue Jays.

Yankees right-hander Michael Pineda (1-1) allowed five hits, three walks and three runs (two earned) while striking out six in six innings.

"I thought he threw the ball pretty well tonight," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "He gave up the two earned runs early in the six innings. Pretty good offense here so I thought he did a good job."

Happ allowed seven hits, three walks and one run and struck out four.

"He made the pitches when he had to," Girardi said. "I thought we hit some balls pretty hard in some key situations but they were at people."

Left-handed reliever Brett Cecil, who has been struggling, took over in the seventh for Happ with the Blue Jays leading 3-1 and had a 1-2-3 inning with a strikeout. He said he had been working on some adjustments before the outing.

Right-hander Kirby Yates took over for the Yankees (4-3) in the seventh and struck out two in a perfect frame.

Josh Donaldson led off the eighth inning with a double against Nova to extend his hitting streak to nine games and took third on a wild pitch.

Jose Bautista followed with a double to left center to put the Blue Jays ahead by two. He took third on a groundout to third and scored on a single to right by Troy Tulowitzki.

Michael Saunders hit his second double of the game and Tulowitzki moved to third. Russell Martin hit a sacrifice fly to center. Justin Smoak was hit by a pitch and Goins singled for his third hit and second RBI.

Ambidextrous pitcher Pat Venditte, just called up from Triple-A Buffalo, pitched the ninth for Toronto.

Both starters were working on six days' rest.

The Blue Jays took a 1-0 lead in the second inning on a two-out double to center by Goins. It scored Martin, who had walked with one out.

New York's Ronald Torreyes led off the top of the fifth with a double, his second hit of the game, and he took third on a single by Austin Romine. Jacoby Ellsbury, who singled in each of his first two at-bats, failed to move the runners when he popped out to third.

Aaron Hicks grounded out to third as Torreyes scored the tying run.

Justin Smoak led off the home fifth with a walk and advanced to third on Goins' second double of the game, this one off the left-field fence. Smoak scored and Goins took third when Torreyes was charged with a throwing error on Kevin Pillar's grounder to the shortstop.

Goins scored when Donaldson grounded into a double play and Toronto led 3-1.

NOTES: The Blue Jays recalled L/RHP Pat Venditte, the ambidextrous reliever, from Triple-A Buffalo. RHP Arnold Leon was designated for assignment to make room on the roster. Venditte has pitched two perfect innings with five strikeouts for the Bisons this year. Leon allowed three hits -- including a home run -- one walk and two runs in 2 1/3 innings in two games for the Blue Jays. ... Yankees C Brian McCann (bruised big left toe) was not in the starting lineup. C Austin Romine was behind the plate. ... New York OF Brett Gardner and SS Didi Gregorius also did not start against Toronto LHP J.A. Happ. OF Aaron Hicks and INF Ronald Torreyes started instead. ... The three-game series ends Thursday with Yankees RHP Nathan Eovaldi (0-0, 9.00 ERA) facing Blue Jays RHP Marcus Stroman (1-0, 5.40 ERA).