Blue Jays beat Yankees 5-2 in Game 4, advance to ALCS for first time since 2016
NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
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 means the Blue Jays have reached the ALCS for the first time since 2016, and they will face the winner of Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers in the ALDS series.
After the Yankees’ come-from-behind victory in Game 3 to survive the series, the momentum was firmly on the home team’s side heading into Game 4 in the Bronx. That was especially true for Wild Card round favorite rookie Cam Schlittler, who shutout the Boston Red Sox to help his team advance to the postseason.
CLICK HERE TO GET MORE SPORTS NEWS ON FOXNEWS.COM
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 in New York on Wednesday. (Daniel Shirey/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
But like every other series, the Blue Jays scratched and clawed their way into the run and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. He got the job done once again in the first inning. After George Springer hit a leadoff double to open the game, Guerrero got Toronto on the board first, serving with a single to right field.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider was working on a bullpen game, which meant he would pick and choose the right matchups with his relievers. He went with Louis Varland, who gave up a game-tying 3-pointer to Aaron Judge on Tuesday night and an eventual game-winning solo shot to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to start the game.
BERNIE WILLIAMS DISCUSSES YANKEES’ CHANGES AT ALDS COMEBACK, DIFFERENCES BETWEEN JOE TORRE AND AARON BOONE
Varland did his job, but Mason Fluharty allowed the Yankees to tie the game when No. 9 hitter Ryan McMahon hit an off-speed pitch, sending the ball into the short porch in right field to make the score 1-1.
In the top of the fifth, Toronto struck out eight and nine hitters Ernie Clement and Andres Gimenez, who both reached on singles, giving their teams the opportunity to put runners on the corners with no one out. Springer hit a sacrifice fly to retake the lead, but the Blue Jays couldn’t get much further.
Comfort was still within reach for the Blue Jays as the Yankees knocked on the door with runners on first and second in the bottom of the sixth – the first time runners were in scoring position all night. But Chisholm moved into the second phase to end the threat of a draw, or even better for the home team, to take the lead.
Then, the biggest moment came in the top of the seventh inning when Clement singled to get on base once again. Gimenez hit a sharp homer the next at-bat, but it appeared to be an inning-ending double-play ball as he cruised to Chisholm. But Chisholm couldn’t handle it and now had runners on second and third with one out.
Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes hit a two-run RBI single during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)
Devin Williams entered the game and relieved Schlitter after pitching 6.1 innings for his team. It allowed Springer to hit a huge swing and miss as the Yankees came close to moving on from a potentially fatal mistake.
But 31-year-old high-contact player Nathan Lukes slapped a single to midfield and scored Clement and Gimenez to make it 4-1. Even though it was only three runs, it felt like more considering the Yankees couldn’t get runners on base as consistently as they did in Game 3.
The Blue Jays would add another in the top of the eighth inning thanks to Myles Straw’s single to right field to score Alejandro Kirk, but it was always going to be the rest of Toronto’s bullpen that would truly close out this game.
The Yankees threatened with runners on in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but the Blue Jays managed to return to the dugout unscathed. The biggest pitch was Toronto closer Jeff Hoffman after Austin Wells flied out to left field.
Toronto Blue Jays leadoff baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after hitting a two-run homer during Tuesday’s Game 3. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)
CLICK TO REACH THE FOX NEWS APPLICATION
With the Yankees and their fan base stunned by the completion of the season, Hoffman got the final three outs needed to start the celebration.
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.
Follow Fox News Digital Sports streaming on Xand subscribe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
