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The Toronto Blue Jays are heading to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) after defeating the New York Yankees, 5-2, in Game 4 of the ALDS, Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
It marks the first time the Blue Jays have reached the ALCS since 2016, and they will face the winner of Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers in their ALDS series.
After a come-from-behind victory for the Yankees in Game 3 to stay alive in the series, momentum was certainly on the side of the home team in the Bronx entering Game 4. That was especially the case with Cam Schlittler, the darling rookie of the Wild Card round who shut down the Boston Red Sox to help his squad move on in the postseason.
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Yariel Rodríguez of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday, in New York. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
But much like they have all series, the Blue Jays scratched and clawed their way to runs, and it was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting the job done once more in the first inning. With George Springer hitting a leadoff double to open the game, Guerrero served a single to right field to get Toronto on the board first.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was working a bullpen game, meaning he would pick and choose the right matchups with his relievers. He went with Louis Varland, who gave up the game-tying three-run homer to Aaron Judge on Tuesday night, as well as the eventual game-winning solo shot to Jazz Chisholm Jr., to start the game.
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Varland did his job, but Mason Fluharty allowed the Yankees to tie the game when Ryan McMahon, the No. 9 hitter, turned on an offspeed pitch and sent it over the short porch in right field to make it 1-1.
In the top of the fifth inning, Toronto saw its eight and nine hitters, Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez, giving their team an opportunity after they both hit singles to set up runners at the corners with nobody out. Springer hit a sacrifice fly to retake the lead, though the Blue Jays couldn’t get more there.
It was still too close for comfort for the Blue Jays, as the Yankees were knocking at the door in the bottom of the sixth inning with runners on first and second – the first time they had runners in scoring position all night. But Chisholm grounded out to second base to end the threat of tying, or even better for the home team, taking the lead.
Then, the most pivotal moment came in the top of the seventh inning when Clement once again singled to get on base. Gimenez hit a sharp liner in the next at-bat, but it appeared to be an inning-ending double-play ball as it was going right to Chisholm. But Chisholm couldn’t handle it and there were runners now on second and third with one out.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes hits a two-run RBI single during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees, Wednesday, at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Devin Williams came into the game, relieving Schlitter after he went 6.1 innings for his squad. He got Springer to strike out, a massive swing-and-miss, as the Yankees were close to getting away from a potentially fatal mistake.
But Nathan Lukes, the 31-year-old high-contact guy, slapped a single to center field, scoring Clement and Gimenez to make it a 4-1 game. Though only three runs, it felt like more considering the Yankees weren’t able to get runners on base consistently like they were in Game 3.
The Blue Jays would add one more in the top of the eighth inning thanks to Myles Straw connecting on a single to right field to score Alejandro Kirk, but it was always going to be the rest of Toronto’s bullpen that would really shut this game down.
The Yankees threatened with runners in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but the Blue Jays were able to head back into the dugout unscathed. The biggest pitch was Jeff Hoffman, Toronto’s closer, working out of a bases-loaded jam after Austin Wells flew out to left field.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after hitting a two-run homer during Game 3 on Tuesday. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
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Hoffman got the final three outs needed to start the celebration, as the Yankees and their fan base were left stunned with their season complete.
The Blue Jays finished the game with 12 total hits to the Yankees’ five, and they used eight different pitchers to get the job done.
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