The 2015 MLB playoffs have had their fair share of drama, but the Toronto Blue Jays won the craziest game yet in a winner-takes-all showdown with the Texas Rangers on Wednesday, prevailing 6-3 in Game 5 to secure the franchise's first American League Championship Series appearance since 1993.
According to ESPN Stats & Info, the Blue Jays became the third team in postseason history to win a best-of-five series after dropping the first two games at home.
Toronto survived an absolutely wild seventh inning in which Texas took a 3-2 lead on a deflected throw from catcher Russell Martin that allowed Rougned Odor to score in controversial fashion.
The Blue Jays weren't shaken, though, and responded by capitalizing on three Texas errors for four runs in the bottom half, including a mammoth three-run home run from Jose Bautista that sealed the result:
Following the come-from-behind win, the Blue Jays predictably went nuts on the field and in the clubhouse. Here's a look at how they celebrated:
Sportsnet shared footage of the team's congregating to pop the first few bottles of champagne:
CBC News' Greg Ross was able to capture video of Bautista and Co. letting loose:
Sportsnet's Arash Madani passed along pictures of the team after it took the bubbly shower back to the diamond:
The New York Times' David Waldstein observed one of the more comical moments of the evening:
Martin later took a break to discuss the team's journey, per MLB on Fox:
With an American League Division Series victory secured, Toronto has established itself as a mentally strong club. Not only did the Blue Jays come back to win three games in a row after going down 2-0, but they withstood Texas' 3-2 lead Wednesday and reduced Rogers Centre to a state of pure bedlam.
Toronto is now four wins away from winning its first pennant in 22 years. The winner of Game 5 between the Houston Astros and Kansas City Royals awaits, and regardless of which side prevails Wednesday night, the ALCS should be highly competitive.
According to Baseball-Reference.com, Toronto finished the regular season 4-3 against the Royals with a plus-six run differential in those games. Against the Astros, the Blue Jays tallied a 3-4 record with a run differential of plus-one.
Both clubs are formidable foes, but Toronto will be determined to keep the party going north of the border.
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