TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays were given a little inspiration from their team of 30 years ago on Sunday and then went out to defeat the New York Yankees 3-1.

They did it with a two-run homer by Jose Bautista to back of strong pitching by starter Drew Hutchison.

The 1985 team, which beat out the Yankees for the franchise's first American League East title, was honored before the game.

Bautista took notice.

"It's awesome seeing how they can come back and enjoy those victories in a great season after a long time," the Blue Jays right fielder said. "Fans love talking about a year like '85 and then the World Series years (1992-93). Hopefully I can, we all can, create some memories like that for us to enjoy later on when we retire. I'm hoping 2015 will be one to remember."

The Blue Jays (65-54) took a step in the right direction Sunday.

They avoided being swept by winning the finale of the three-game series and moved back to within a half game of the first-place Yankees (64-52) in the AL East.

"I thought we did a good job coming in here and winning a tough series on the road," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "Anytime you can win two of three, that's a good series."

The Blue Jays swept the Yankees last weekend in New York.

Hutchison (12-2) allowed three hits, one walk and one run and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings.

The only run allowed by the right-hander came on a home run by Yankees center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury in the sixth.

"I had good command," Hutchison said. "I had a good changeup today. Tried to pound the zone, get ahead of guys and make good pitches."

"He's a tough kid," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "He's had struggles this year, that's obvious. You can't hide from that. He's been great at home and he was again today."

Yankees right-hander Luis Severino (0-2) allowed five hits, three walks and three runs in six innings. He struck out nine.

"Outstanding job," Girardi said. "I thought he pitched extremely well. He made a couple of mistakes with two sliders in that inning after Tulo got to second and that was the difference."

The Blue Jays scored all three runs in the third inning with help from the sun.

Yankees right fielder Carlos Beltran lost a fly by Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki in the sun and the ball dropped for a double with two outs.

"I saw it all the way," Beltran said. "I lost it when it was getting close to me and I basically couldn't do anything. The ball hit me in the back. Unfortunately, it would have been a different story if I had caught that ball."

Third baseman Josh Donaldson scored Tulowitzki with a single to right. Bautista followed with his 28th homer of the season on a 2-1 slider.

"It was supposed to be a slider down," Severino said. "It stayed up and I paid for it. I knew right away. As soon as I saw the pitch was high, I knew it was going to be a problem."

"We definitely took advantage of it, great piece of hitting by Donaldson, with a single the other way," Gibbons said. "And Bautista did his damage."

Ellsbury, who led off the game with a single, also had the second Yankees hit of the game when he slammed his sixth homer of the season to right on an 0-1 fastball with two outs in the sixth inning.

Hutchison was replaced by left-hander Brett Cecil with two outs in the seventh after McCann dumped a double into right-center that eluded center fielder Kevin Pillar's diving attempt. Cecil retired Beltran on a fly to center.

Right-hander Aaron Sanchez pitched a 1-2-3 eighth for the Blue Jays.

Right-hander Roberto Osuna pitched around a single by left fielder Brett Gardner in the ninth to earn his 13th save of the season.

Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to 14 games with a single in the eighth.

NOTES: LHP Aaron Loup was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo after the game with a corresponding move to come. Loup has been little used recently and will be given a chance for regular work. ...Yankees 1B Greg Bird picked up his first major league hit Saturday with an eighth-inning single against RHP LaTroy Hawkins. ... LF Brett Gardner stole second base in the ninth inning Saturday to end a 19-game stretch by the Yankees without a steal, their longest since 1963 when they went 20 games without a steal. ... The Blue Jays have Monday off before opening a two-game series in Philadelphia on Tuesday with RHP R.A. Dickey (7-10, 3.96 ERA) facing Phillies RHP Aaron Nola (3-1, 4.25 ERA). ... The Yankees return home for a three-game series with the Minnesota Twins with LHP CC Sabathia (4-9, 5.23 ERA) starting Monday against Twins RHP Kyle Gibson (8-9, 3.75 ERA).