Girardi: Yankees know it's must-win time

TORONTO -- Left-hander Andy Pettitte's frustrations were evident after the Yankees' 2-0 loss to the Blue Jays in Tuesday's series opener at Rogers Centre.

The veteran allowed one run -- a solo homer to Toronto's Colby Rasmus -- over 6 2/3 innings but walked away with the loss, his first since Aug. 5. Following the game, Pettitte made it clear that the Yankees need to be playing with a sense of urgency and reel off a winning streak or the club will be in jeopardy of missing the postseason for the first time since 2008. The Yankees sat 3 1/2 games behind American League Wild Card leaders Tampa Bay and Texas entering play Wednesday.

There was plenty of talk in the clubhouse about how every game New York plays for the remainder season is becoming a must-win affair. Manager Joe Girardi echoed those same sentiments again Wednesday.

"You'd have to have your head in the sand not to know, or you just showed up here and you were on a deserted island," Girardi said. "One or the other. If you're not aware of that, then I don't know where you've been."

After wrapping up their three-game set in Toronto, the Yankees will host the Giants and Rays for six games -- New York's final homestand of the season -- before concluding the year with three games in Houston.