Blue Jays walk it off in playoff-like duel with Yankees

Alongside the bumps of what might be seen as an sometimes irritating season of fluctuation, the Blue Jays have discovered a slightly efficient coping mechanism.

It has labored in maintaining confidence at a excessive and competitiveness sharp. And it has them on the point of clinching a post-season spot, after a powerful 3-2 extra-innings win over the AL East-leading New York Yankees on Tuesday evening.

Playoff baseball anybody?

That’s what it’s beginning to really feel like round right here as Vlad Guerrero Jr. ripped a base hit to left subject with two out within the tenth inning, scoring Cavan Biggio from second.

With the win, the Jays not solely denied their division rivals an opportunity to clinch the division title, however they lowered their magic quantity to safe a playoff spot to 3.

The mindset within the Jays clubhouse proper now and for the previous a number of weeks? Deal with each recreation as its personal entity and each collection as a must-win.

In relation to playoff-style baseball just like the workforce has confronted over the previous a number of days, it might serve them slightly effectively.

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And the tactical, extra-innings duel with the Yankees, was the most recent instance because the Jays fought their method out of a 2-0 deficit, compelled extras and seized the second by the hands of certainly one of their most dynamic bats.

“I do know that we imagine in ourselves and in our struggle it doesn’t matter what the state of affairs is,” shortstop Bo Bichette mentioned of the workforce’s locked-in look. “If that state of affairs happens within the playoffs, I like our possibilities to compete and struggle there.”

As a snapshot of what’s to return, Monday’s scene in entrance of a stable crowd of 34,307 at a closed-roof Rogers Centre, had lots.

There was the super-hyped presence of Yankees star Aaron Choose and his pursuit of a historic 61st dwelling run.

There was Choose’s Bronx Bombers on the verge of clinching the AL East title.

And there was the Jays seeking to additional improve their prospects of locking down not only a playoff spot (their magic quantity getting into the evening was 4) however the prime seed within the AL wildcard race.

It turned out to be fairly a battle, an attractive trailer for the drama that awaits. It started with very good pitching as Jays starter Kevin Gausman allowed a run in every of the primary two innings and nothing extra earlier than exiting after 6.1 and Luis Severino answering for the Yankees.

As potential playoff previews go – and these two groups might meet as early because the second spherical – this one was a dandy, full with a dramatic conclusion.

However again to that singular concentrate on every passing collection. The Jays complete this three gamer in opposition to the Yanks on a run the place they’re undefeated of their previous eight collection (6-0-2).

“This workforce is combating and we’re taking part in good baseball,” Jays reliever David Phelps mentioned. “We’re beginning to get all of the items working collectively and clicking on the identical time.

“This time of 12 months, you get extra targeted on profitable collection. Clearly you concentrate on the sport at hand, however when you concentrate on every particular person three- or four-four-gamer, the purpose is to have that carry over into the submit season.”

It truly is a realistic method, as effectively. At varied instances throughout the season, the Jays lack of beginning depth has uncovered, the bullpen has taken its lumps and bats have gathered ice. However zoning in on getting a win the subsequent day to even a collection might serve them effectively.

“That’s been the collective outlook for lots of days and months and weeks in a row,” Jays supervisor John Schneider mentioned. “It’s a great factor to have going into a 3, 5 or seven-game collection for certain.

“And when you get to that time, every little thing is magnified. Each pitch. Each play. Each at bat. You simply attempt to proceed to do what you’ve been doing and perceive you’re in that place for a cause and hopefully simply proceed with that mindset.”

BULL-ISH EFFORT

Complementing starter Gausman’s wonderful evening was some clutch work from the Toronto bullpen. A procession of 5 relievers made appearances, with the largest efforts coming from nearer Jordan Romano (who struck out the facet within the ninth) and Anthony Bass (who had a pair of Ks within the tenth.)

And what drama it was in that tenth, when Schneider went to Tim Mayza to alleviate Bass and promptly issued an intentional stroll to Choose to load the bases. A grounder ended it although, setting the stage for Guerrero.

GAME ON

Extra on Romano: The Canadian nearer struck out the facet within the ninth – setting down Josh Donaldson, Giancarlo Stanton and Oswaldo Cabrera … Because the Choose present hit city, the Jays, led by starter Gausman, principally adopted Schneider’s recreation plan for the person in search of his historic 61st homer — proceed with warning. In order Choose slapped a single within the first, walked within the third and struck out trying (on a horrible name from dwelling plate ump Laz Diaz within the sixth) and went down swinging to Yimi Garcia within the eighth … The large blast of the evening for the Jays was a large shot to proper subject from Teoscar Hernandez within the fourth that was inches from a grand slam. The double (even with Hernandez admiring his handiwork for 4 or 5 seconds too lengthy) drove in a pair of runs and the entire Jays scoring so as.

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