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The Toronto Blue Jays are on the verge of a significant achievement: their first playoff series victory in nearly a decade. Following a strong showing against the New York Yankees in the first two games of their playoff series, Game 3 is set for Tuesday evening at Yankee Stadium.
With a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five American League Division Series (ALDS), the Blue Jays are one win away from advancing to the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
Across Canada, fans are filled with anticipation, eager to witness a historic moment.
Jeffrey Mizen, an Ontario native now living in New York, is among those heading to the stadium. “I have full confidence they will win,” he told reporters. Similarly, enthusiastic supporter Lesley Mak expressed her hopes for the team, stating, “They truly feel like a team of destiny.
They are simply unstoppable right now.”
Game day and what’s at stake
As the Blue Jays prepare for Game 3, the Yankees find themselves in a precarious situation. If New York fails to secure a win, their playoff hopes will come to an end.
Conversely, a victory would force a Game 4 on Wednesday, also at Yankee Stadium. Should the series extend to a Game 5, it will be held in Toronto.
How the Blue Jays have thrived
The Blue Jays have achieved success through a blend of powerful offense and strong pitching.
In the first two games of the series, they scored an impressive total of 23 runs. Game 1 saw the team dominate with a 10-1 victory, highlighted by a significant home run from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a remarkable two-home run performance by catcher Alejandro Kirk.
Starting pitcher Kevin Gausman demonstrated his skill, allowing no runs over five innings and striking out Yankees star Aaron Judge with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Although Gausman later conceded a run, he received crucial support from reliever Louis Varland, who struck out Giancarlo Stanton to end the inning with a 101 mph fastball.
Continuing their momentum
The Blue Jays maintained their dominance in Game 2, defeating the Yankees 13-7. This match featured a record-setting performance by rookie starter Trey Yesavage, who struck out 11 batters, setting a franchise playoff record. Notably, the runs scored against the Jays were not attributed to Yesavage’s pitching, as he did not allow any runs during his stellar outing.
In this game, the Blue Jays displayed a formidable offense, hitting five home runs. Guerrero’s grand slam soared into the second deck, while Daulton Varsho contributed two homers, and both Ernie Clement and George Springer also cleared the fence. Fans like Mak have expressed excitement over the team’s offensive prowess, marveling at their dominance at the plate.
The upcoming challenge
Looking ahead, the Blue Jays will send Shane Bieber, a former Cy Young Award winner, to the mound for Game 3. Acquired from Cleveland at the trade deadline, Bieber has been a valuable asset, posting a record of 4-2 with 37 strikeouts in just over 40 innings since joining Toronto.
He will face Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón, a seasoned veteran who enjoyed an impressive regular season with 18 wins. Despite both teams having identical records of 94 wins in the regular season, Toronto’s superior performance against New York secured them the division title, allowing for a week of rest while the Yankees fought through a challenging wildcard series.
Looking back and moving forward
Historically, the Blue Jays have encountered difficulties in the postseason, suffering multiple sweeps in wildcard series in recent years. Their last playoff sweep occurred in 2016 against the Texas Rangers. Statistics indicate that teams with a 2-0 lead in best-of-five series have won 80 out of 90 times.
Across Canada, fans are filled with anticipation, eager to witness a historic moment. Jeffrey Mizen, an Ontario native now living in New York, is among those heading to the stadium. “I have full confidence they will win,” he told reporters. Similarly, enthusiastic supporter Lesley Mak expressed her hopes for the team, stating, “They truly feel like a team of destiny. They are simply unstoppable right now.”0
