NEW YORK - As Felix Escalona ran toward first base after the biggest hit of his career, he kept telling himself he had just got the game-winning single, as if even he couldn't believe it.

Based on the response inside the Yankees dugout, where players jumped over the railing to rush onto the field to greet the utility infielder, many others agreed with him.

It only figured that a wild game finished in a wild fashion, as Escalona's two-out, two-strike single in the ninth sent the Yankees to an uplifting 5-4 win over the Blue Jays.

"Incredible ending," Manager Joe Torre said.

Escalona, still gushing by his locker, said, "This is amazing."

After Hideki Matsui tied the score at 4 with a leadoff home run in the ninth, his 20th of the season, walks to Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano put runners on first and second with two outs.

Closer Miguel Batista (5-5) fell behind Derek Jeter 2-and-0, and then walked Jeter intentionally for Escalona, who had just gotten his first hit as a Yankee one night earlier.

It was a curious decision because it moved the winning run 90 feet away from home plate, a wild pitch or passed ball away from giving the Yankees the win.

But the Blue Jays felt confident in their ability to get Escalona out, and it's hard to blame them, considering the utility infielder was playing only because of defense.

Escalona said he wasn't surprised by the move, saying he thought to himself, "Here's my chance." But he sure did look overmatched when he swung through Batista's first pitch and took his second pitch right down the middle to fall behind 0-and-2.

After fouling off a pitch, Escalona then got solid wood on an 89 mile-per-hour cutter over the middle of the plate, lining a single through the middle to win it - the first time the Yankees led the entire game.

"I've never felt anything like that before," Escalona said. "That's why we have 25 guys," said Mariano Rivera (6-3), who got the victory.

But if the Yankees had a choice, Escalona wouldn't have even been batting.

He entered the game in the top of the ninth as a defensive replacement, making his first appearance at first base at any professional level. Torre had pinch run for Tino Martinez with Tony Womack in the eighth, a move that was hard to argue with because Womack scored on a two-out single by Bernie Williams that tied the score at 3.

But with Jason Giambi the designated hitter, Torre chose to go with Escalona at first base instead of losing the DH in a game that seemed destined to go extra innings.

So he went with Escalona, who had just started practicing the position during batting practice a week earlier. Don Mattingly, a former stellar defensive first baseman, and Luis Sojo stood at the top steps, yelling out instructions during the inning.

It almost hurt the Yankees. With one out, Orlando Hudson reached first on an infield single when Jeter's throw to first was too high, making Escalona come off the bag to catch it. An experienced first baseman might have made the play.

Two batters later, Hudson scored from second on a single by Reed Johnson, giving the Blue Jays a 4-3 lead. Knowing the novice that Escalona is - he used Martinez's glove - everyone felt bad for him, even though he wasn't at fault.

"It was one of those games," Rivera said. "What can you say?"

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But it worked out in the end, which is becoming a common theme for the Yankees, who are making a case for themselves as a playoff contender.

The win kept them in a virtual tie with the Indians for the American League wild card lead.

Catapulted by a strong seven-plus inning effort by Al Leiter, the Yankees are getting strong pitching and showing the offensive resolve they need this time of year.

"We know we're in a situation where if we keep winning games," Torre said, "we don't need to look at the scoreboard. We're playing every inning, we're grinding."