Put away those brooms, Texas Rangers.
After Texas won the first two games of the American League Divisional Series on the road against the Toronto Blue Jays, it failed to finish the sweep at home during Sunday's 5-1 loss. Marco Estrada saved his team's season with a clutch pitching performance and earned the victory behind 6.1 innings of five-hit, one-run ball.
Troy Tulowitzki did the heavy lifting on the offensive side with two hits—including a backbreaking three-run home run in the sixth inning—four RBI, a walk and a run scored. It was a breakthrough moment for the shortstop who struggled with injuries after Toronto traded for him in the middle of the season.
Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star put Tulowitzki's performance in perspective:
MLB Stat of the Day pointed out the 2015 version of the Blue Jays made some franchise history with Sunday's win:
Toronto's victory also assured there would be no sweeps in the four divisional series in this year's playoffs, as David Schoenfield of ESPN noted.
While Tulowitzki played the role of offensive hero, neither team threatened to score through the first two innings. The Blue Jays made some noise in the top of the third when Dioner Navarro doubled to lead off the frame and eventually scored on Ryan Goins' double-play ball.
Brendan Kennedy of the Toronto Star highlighted how Martin Perez was able to limit the damage after allowing the first two runners to reach base:
Perez found himself in more trouble in the fourth inning when Josh Donaldson doubled and Edwin Encarnacion, Chris Colabello and Tulowitzki all drew walks. Tulowitzki's came with the bases loaded and pushed Toronto's lead to 2-0.
Even though Encarnacion's walk was intentional, Jay Jaffe of SI.com pointed out the bases on balls were a problem for the Rangers:
Despite the control concerns, Perez once again limited the damage with a double play, this time off Navarro's bat. Sports Illustrated MLB noted the inning "could've been much bigger," which kept Texas well within striking distance.
Toronto chased Perez in the top of the sixth with back-to-back singles from Donaldson and Jose Bautista, but a familiar foe once again nearly ended the Blue Jays' rally. With bases loaded and nobody out, Colabello grounded into yet another double play. Anthony Andro of Fox Sports noted how important the twin-killings were in the middle portion of the game:
However, the Blue Jays finally broke the game open in the next at-bat when Tulowitzki blasted a three-run homer to seize a 5-0 lead. Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca called it the shortstop's biggest hit since joining Toronto, while ESPN Stats & Info pointed out it was Tulowitzki's first postseason long ball since 2007.
From Texas' perspective, it didn't make much sense in hindsight to pitch to the power hitter with runners on second and third and first base open. Stefan Stevenson of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News suggested as much:
While the Blue Jays silenced the crowd with their bats in the middle portion of the game, Texas finally got to Estrada in the seventh. Elvis Andrus and Josh Hamilton notched back-to-back hits, and the Rangers had runners on second and third with one out.
It also ended Estrada's day after 6.1 innings, although Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com praised the pitcher's efforts in his first career postseason start:
The Rangers scored once on a groundout, but the Toronto bullpen did its job behind Aaron Loup and Mark Lowe and took a 5-1 lead into the eighth. Lowe in particular came through in the clutch, striking out Robinson Chirinos, as Grant noted:
Aaron Sanchez pitched a flawless 1-2-3 eighth inning for the Blue Jays, but manager John Gibbons turned some heads when he had his ace starter, David Price, warming up in the bullpen. Chisholm described the number of different long-term implications for Toronto if it used Price as a reliever:
While Price warmed up, it was Roberto Osuna who entered the game in the ninth to shut the door on the Rangers. He did his job in three batters, and the Blue Jays put an end to any ideas of a sweep from Texas and its fans with the 5-1 victory.
What's Next?
The Blue Jays' victory means there will be another contest in this series.
Game 4 takes place Monday in Texas, and Toronto will send R.A. Dickey to the mound with its season once again on the line. The Rangers will counter with Derek Holland. Dickey posted a 3.91 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in the regular season and often relies on his knuckleball, while Holland finished with a 4.91 ERA and 1.30 WHIP in only 10 appearances all season.
Price is the mysterious weapon now looming for the Blue Jays, especially after he warmed up Sunday.
He could be the shutdown pitcher from the bullpen in Game 4 or 5, or Toronto could still elect to start him in a potential decisive contest if it finds a way to win one more in Texas. Even the possibility of the former Cy Young Award winner starting or playing a large role in Game 5 puts plenty of pressure on the Rangers to end the series at home Monday.
Otherwise, they may have to face Price in front of a raucous Toronto crowd with a spot in the American League Championship on the line. Texas already beat him once, but knocking off the dominant southpaw twice in one series is a tall task.
Postgame Reaction
Much of the discussion following the win from Toronto's side centered on the pitching performance from Estrada.
Navarro deserves praise as well for calling the game from behind the plate, but the catcher was more than willing to single out the starter, per John Lott of the National Post: “He uses all of his pitches. I believe coming into the season he was a fastball-changeup guy. We kind of started working with the curveball and the cutter, and he has used all of his pitches with conviction. He keeps the hitters off balance. He’s just a great pitcher.”
Osuna finished the game, but he also complimented the one who started it, per Nicholson-Smith: "Unbelievable...he did an amazing job. I can't describe it. I'm so proud of him."
Osuna and the rest of the bullpen were also pleased to see Tulowitzki's breakout performance, as the closer told Nicholson-Smith: "The bullpen was jumping out there, celebrating. He finally woke up and we got him back."
Attention naturally turns to the critical Game 4 now, and Price said he "absolutely" expects to be available Monday and in a potential Game 5, per Nicholson-Smith.
Before Texas worries about Price, though, it must deal with Dickey. Delino DeShields told Stevenson he has never faced a knuckleballer, "so this will be interesting." DeShields added that facing a knuckleballer is "like trying to hit a butterfly."
If the Rangers can't figure out how to hit that butterfly, they will find themselves back in Toronto for a winner-takes-all Game 5.
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