This, of course, was not a mid-week game in August.
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TORONTO (AP) – The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 1993, overcoming one of the most freakish plays in playoff history when Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer after three Texas Rangers errors for a 6-3 victory Wednesday in the deciding Game 5 of the Division Series.
Marcus Stroman had been solid in the start, then the Jays called on two youngsters to close it out in the late innings. In another scenario – anything that made the least bit of sense – he would have been a hero. We know it’s been 22 years, but throwing beer and trash on the field when a call doesn’t go your way is inexcusable.
“In what way?” Hamels asked. The longer a game goes, the more painful it is to lose and Game 2 was the longest playoff game in franchise history.
The Blue Jays were playing the game under protest after the Rangers scored a run to go ahead 3-2 when catcher Russell Martin’s throw to the pitcher inadvertently deflected off Choo Shin-soo’s bat and trickled to the infield.
Home plate umpire Dale Scott initially ruled it a dead ball but, after Rangers manager Jeff Banister came out, the umpires huddled and Odor was sent home.
Dalton Pompey, who pinch-ran for Martin, was safe at third on a bunt by second baseman Ryan Goins when Andrus dropped the throw. I had never had that happen before.
The Rangers committed three errors to start the Blue Jays’ seventh. All in all, Texas misplayed four plays in the span of five hitters. I knew I had to pitch. There’s a lot of pain right now.
“The ball was hit off of the end of the bat”, Moreland added of his error. It got me back on my heels.
“I just caught the ball and threw it back very casually”, Martin admitted.
Andrus was certainly despondent, and there was plenty of that in the Rangers’ clubhouse. It was like the Bad News Bears suddenly pilfered the uniforms of the Rangers and Blue Jays only to have Jose Bautista say “Enough of this nonsense!” and clock a home run that landed somewhere in Manitoba, and then set a world record for longest admiration of a home run.
“Jose needs to calm that down, just kind of respect the game a little more”, Dyson said, according to The Washington Post’s Barry Svrluga. He’s a huge role model for he younger generation that’s coming up playing this game, and I mean he’s doing stuff that kids do in Wiffle ball games and backyard baseball. “It shouldn’t be done”.
Oh, as the inning finally ended, Dyson and Troy Tulowitzki bumped into each other, exchanged words and the benches emptied. I can’t ever remember feeling this way, you all have got unbelievable resiliency. “I felt it. I did it. I’m just glad I was able to hit the heck out of the ball”.
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The reactions were all over the map: defiance, sadness, frustration, bewilderment. Bannister got right in Andrus’ ear, and hugged him.
