The Toronto Blue Jays beat the New York Yankees 5-2 to win their American League Division Series in four games.
The Canadian Press
Facing the most hostile crowd in baseball, with flagging momentum and without a bonafide starting pitcher, the Toronto Blue Jays won their first playoff series in a decade on Wednesday night.
The night’s heroes were all the guys you don’t hear much about. The middle relievers, platoon outfielders and shortstops
Eight Jays pitchers combined to limit the Yankees to two runs. Sometime corner outfielder Nathan Lukes had the hit that turned a close one into a chase situation. Despite threatening late, the Yankees weren’t able to catch up this time. The game ended 5-2.
“Kind of fitting that it took everyone to win today,” said manager John Schneider after the game.
Toronto will start the American League Championship Series at home on Sunday, against either the Detroit Tigers or the Seattle Mariners. That series will be decided on Friday.
After dominating in Toronto, all the omens turned against the Jays once they’d crossed the border. They blew a five-run lead on Tuesday. In the process, they activated baseball’s best hitter, Aaron Judge.
Going into Wednesday’s game, little seemed in their favour. The Yankees were starting their newest hero, 22-year-old Cam Schlittler. In his last outing, Schlittler had put up one of the great pitching performances in baseball playoff history. Toronto countered with the guy who usually comes out for the sixth or seventh inning and then calls it a day.
But Toronto did one thing the Yankees could not – everything right.
“We got beat here. Credit to the Blue Jays,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “They took it to us this series.”
Opinion: The Blue Jays showcased their depth in series-deciding win over Yankees
Once again, ‘O Canada’ was booed. If anything, the jeers were more gleeful than they had been on Tuesday night. Fewer people fought back with cheers. Wherever in the U.S. this ends up, I guess it’s on.
Schlittler was greeted like he’d already won. Toronto put an end to that immediately. George Springer led off with a double into the left-field corner. Two batters later, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked him home with a single the other way.
It should have been more – the Jays had men on second and third with one out, but it came to nothing. That was a theme for both sides on the night.
New York tied it in the third. A George Springer sacrifice fly put the Jays up by a run again in the fifth.
When Aaron Judge came up in the sixth, Toronto intentionally walked him. When you’re fighting Superman, better not to fight at all.
Toronto Blue Jays fans erupted in jubilation thanks to their team’s first trip to the American League Championship Series since 2016.
The Canadian Press
One notable difference about the Jays performances Tuesday and Wednesday – mistakes. Toronto didn’t make any on their second try.
No such luck for the Yankees. One of their comeback heroes from the night before, Jazz Chisholm, booted a grounder into centre field. That led directly to a double-RBI single by Nathan Lukes, and a 4-1 Jays lead.
One late Yankees threat was sealed off by a remarkable, stuttering run by shortstop Andres Gimenez to field a high pop against the wall on the third base side.
Another – bases loaded, two out – ended in a long pop out. When Lukes started the ninth off with a double, you could suddenly hear the small contingent of Toronto fans sitting on the third base line.
It ended in a Blue Jays’ bear hug and more Bronx boos. One playoff series down, two to go.
With reports from The Associated Press
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct Cam Schlittler's first name.