Toronto’s average ticket price is especially impressive given the size of Rogers Centre. The death blow came from the bat of Jim Sundberg, who hit a three-run triple in the sixth inning that would have been an out but for the strong wind blowing to right field at Exhibition Stadium.
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“You always look forward to the day that Stro is pitching”, Gibbons said. Five innings was enough for Banister, working with a rested bullpen.
DeShields took second on a groundout to short by right fielder Shin Soo-Choo and scored on a single to center by Beltre. Only Andruw Jones in the 1996 World Series was younger.
Ruler Fielder proceeded with his postseason battles that date to the 2012. “I want that monkey off my back…” I didn’t throw the ball as well as I’m capable today.
Choo grounded out in third and fifth, and flied out to left in the seventh.
Toronto has 217 home runs for the season, the fourth most in club history.
Jays manager John Gibbons called it one of those games. “After the first inning there weren’t too many hard-hit balls off him”.
As of Wednesday night, the average price for a ticket at Game 1 or 2 of the ALDS was $250 U.S., compared to $400 for a ticket in Chicago.
“We haven’t ruled him out of tomorrow’s game”, Daniels said. They worked well together during the season…. “The news would have to be worse than it is right now for us to consider that”, Daniels said.
The Blue Jays host the Texas Rangers in Games 1 and 2 of the American League Division Series, starting Thursday.
Donaldson passed his concussion test, which Rose referenced. A two-run shot by No. 9 hitter Robinson Chirinos in the fifth made it 4-1. He did it at a few personal cost, losing his batting helmet and grimacing as he got up. The Blue Jays said Bautista is expected to play Friday.
Earlier, Texas lost third baseman Adrian Beltre to back soreness after he landed heavily sliding into second base.
Bautista homered deep to left-centre off reliever Keone Kela to open the bottom of the sixth, cutting the Texas lead to 4-3. The Jays slugger paused to admire his first-ever post-season blast then trotted around the bases. He and Edwin Encarnacion missed going back-to-back by feet, as Encarnacion’s drive to left hooked foul at the last moment.
Hard-throwing Sam Dyson got the save for Texas, hitting 98 m.p.h.in the ninth.
“I liked the effort and I liked our intensity”, Martin said. What’s more, they were two games under. “It’s good to have that in the back of your mind”. But one person paid to watch the game and talk about it did not. It doesn’t make a difference. He’ll agonize with the team during that second game from his pre-booked perch in Section 139, Row 9. So it doesn’t change anything about our approach. No matter what team we play for, we want to be able to play in front of a high octane crowd and this is what Toronto offers. Toronto went 40-18 and Texas 38-22 since the start of August.
Toronto finished at 93-69. Still the Rangers’ ride this season is noteworthy, given they were last in the American League a year ago at 67-95 and they opened this season at 7-14.
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NOTES: Rangers manager Jeff Banister said LHP Martin Perez (3-6, 4.46 ERA) will start the third game of the series to be played Sunday in Arlington, Texas….
