NEW YORK -- Alex Rodriguez slid headfirst into home plate and raised his arms in triumph.

The rest of his teammates might have had a similar reaction based upon the way Masahiro Tanaka pitched in a game the New York Yankees sorely needed to win.

Tanaka scattered four hits in seven outstanding innings and the Yankees averted a four-game sweep by the Toronto Blue Jays with a 5-0 victory on Sunday.

Rodriguez had an RBI double and scored New York's second run on a sacrifice fly by shortstop Didi Gregorius. He took a slow trot to the plate, executed a headfirst slide and, after being called safe, raised both arms.

"That's how the slowest man in baseball works," said Rodriguez, whose 3,000th hit was honored in a pregame ceremony. "I left it all out there -- literally. I was excited. It's an important game and we're playing every game like it's our last."

While Rodriguez's double and funny slide were enough, first baseman Dustin Ackley drove in three runs. He had a sacrifice fly in the second and a two-run homer in the fourth.

Those runs were more than enough because the Yankees had the right guy on the mound to stop a five-game losing streak and seven-game home skid to the Blue Jays.

Tanaka (12-6) picked up a big win against the Blue Jays for the second time in less than a month. After pitching a complete game in Toronto on Aug. 15, he was even better Sunday.

"They came in and took three in a row and my mindset was I was not going to let these guys sweep us," Tanaka said through an interpreter.

"I particularly don't think that I look at myself as a big-game starter. If anything, I think it's a strong feeling that I'm not going to give in."

Tanaka never allowed multiple baserunners, struck out seven without a walk and threw 108 pitches. He has allowed one earned run in his last 15 innings and one earned run in his last 16 innings against Toronto's lineup.

"The last two times against Toronto, he's been lights out," Rodriguez said. "The last four or five starts he's been incredible."

Yankees manager Joe Girardi said, "I think he had a little bit of everything today. We needed it. He gave it to us and we needed to shut them down. We did that, so that's a big win for us."

Tanaka's effort helped the Yankees (78-64) get to within 3 1/2 games of first place with 20 games remaining. The Yankees will visit Toronto next week after playing three games against the Tampa Bay Rays and New York Mets. The Blue Jays visit the Atlanta Braves and host the Boston Red Sox.

Toronto's longest winning streak in New York ended on a day when shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (cracked shoulder) and designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion (finger) did not play. The Blue Jays are hopeful that Tulowitzki will miss only two to three weeks. Encarnacion is expected to return Tuesday.

The rest of Toronto's lineup was blanked for the fifth time this season but the first time since July 10 in Chicago.

The Blue Jays had three doubles but did little else and its four baserunners were its fewest since Aug. 22, 2014, at Tampa Bay.

"No, not at all," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said when asked if there was an emotional letdown. "We've said it over and over: it starts on the mound. When you're facing a guy that's doing good -- I mean when they shut you down, oftentimes it looks lethargic, but that's good pitching."

Right fielder Jose Bautista had one of those doubles but was stranded at second. Third baseman Josh Donaldson stranded a runner when he struck out for the final out of the third and was hitless in four at-bats.

The lack of offense led to Dickey's first loss since July 9 in Chicago. He had won his previous seven decisions but allowed five hits and seven innings in 7 2/3 innings, saving a bullpen that threw 14 innings in the first three games.

"I felt like that was a way that I could contribute today," Dickey said. "We were having a tough time off Tanaka. He threw the ball very, very good today, and so, when they got a little bit of a lead, I thought to myself, 'Well, let's save the pen."

NOTES: Toronto GM Alex Anthopoulos said SS Troy Tulowitzki (cracked shoulder blade) might return within two to three weeks and would hopefully be available to play in October. Tulowitzki was injured in a freak collision with CF Kevin Pillar during Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. ... Yankees RHP Adam Warren is scheduled to start Tuesday in Tampa Bay. ... Toronto DH Edwin Encarnacion, who has reached base safely in a team-record 42 straight games, did not start after aggravating a recent finger injury during the nightcap of Saturday's doubleheader. ... New York's Dustin Ackley, who is a .364 hitter in 12 plate appearances against Toronto RHP R.A. Dickey, started his second straight game at first base. ... Toronto announced it acquired INF Darwin Barney from the Los Angeles Dodgers for a player to be named or cash considerations.