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The Toronto Blue Jays are headed to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) after defeating the New York Yankees, 5-2, in Game 4 of the ALDS on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
This is 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 Yankees win in Game 3 to stay alive in the series, the momentum was certainly on the side of the home team from the Bronx heading into Game 4. That was especially the case for Cam Schlittler, the rookie darling of the Wild Card round who shut down the Boston Red Sox to help his team advance 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 just as they have done throughout the series, the Blue Jays fought their way to the points, and it was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. who got the job done once again in the first inning. While George Springer hit a double to open the game, Guerrero served a single to right field to put Toronto first on the board.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was working on a bullpen game, meaning he would pick 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, took an off-speed pitch and sent it over the short porch into 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, give their team an opportunity after both hitting singles to put runners on the corners with no one out. Springer hit a sacrifice fly to regain the lead, although the Blue Jays could do no more.
It was still too close for Blue Jays comfort, as the Yankees knocked on 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 found himself at second base to end the threat of a tie, or better yet for the home team, to take the lead.
Then the most crucial moment came in the top of the seventh inning when Clement singled again to reach the bases. Gimenez hit a sharp liner in the next at-bat, but it appeared to be an inning-ending double play ball as it went straight to Chisholm. But Chisholm couldn’t handle that and there were now runners on second and third with one out.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes had a two-run RBI single in the seventh inning against the New York Yankees on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Devin Williams entered the game, relieving Schlitter after going 6.1 innings for his team. He had Springer retire, a huge swing-and-miss, as the Yankees were about to escape a potentially fatal error.
But Nathan Lukes, the 31-year-old high-contact guy, slapped a single to center field, scoring Clement and Gimenez to make it 4-1. Although only three runs, it seemed more considering the Yankees were not able to put 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 would still be the rest of Toronto’s bullpen that would really end this game.
The Yankees threatened with runners in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but the Blue Jays managed to return to the dugout unscathed. The most important throw came from Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman, working 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 in Game 3 on Tuesday. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
Hoffman got the final three outs needed to start the celebration, as the Yankees and their fans were stunned by the end of their season.
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.
