Forget AL East crown, Blue Jays taking aim at top of AL or MLB
And here's where what happens off of the field over the next 10 days matters in a large way. With a fired-up fan base, a united clubhouse and a team that seems to be relishing the intangibles of what a winning team feels like, it's on general manager Ross Atkins to enhance what's happening in a meaningful way.
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As obvious as the comparisons to 2015 are, it's impossible not to draw parallels to a decade ago. The players feel it. The fans feel it. And a renovated Rogers Centre feels like the place to be in the peak of a Toronto summer.
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Which brings us back to the present. The week ahead certainly serves up a stout test on a couple of fronts for the Jays. First, you can bet the Yankees won't roll over like they did earlier in the month when they were swept away in the four-game series that allowed the Jays to surge to the division lead.
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Following that, there's a four-gamer at the other end of the 401 when the Jays meet the Tigers in perhaps the most important showdown against their closest geographical rival in decades. Over the seven games, the Jays will face the Yankees top two starters — Rodon on Monday and Max Fried on Wednesday. And in the Motor City, they'll take on ace of aces, the Tigers Tarik Skubal on the weekend.
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As for the Yankees, when they previously arrived in Toronto on June 30, they held a three-game lead over the Jays before the four losses — including a resounding Canada Day celebration — caused them to surrender top spot.
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Since then, the Jays have been on an historic run in terms of franchise accomplishments. There was a 10-game winning streak, matching the club mark. There have been the 10 consecutive wins at the dome, equalling another franchise record and what a way to eclipse it with a fifth consecutive Toronto win over their division rival.
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The Jays are well aware of what's at stake — it's impossible not to be. They can read and digest the standings like you and I, they can feel the energy at the Rogers Centre, which is full or close to it every day and night now.
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Presumably, they're also well aware of what got them to this place (on pace for 95 wins) and that's a laser focus on the immediate task and to quickly flush the big win or loss the previous night.
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Toronto Sun
9 minutes ago
- Toronto Sun
Yankees snap Blue Jays home field mastery with dramatic ninth-inning win
Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. slides into a double play as the Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. completes the throw to first at Rogers Centre Tuesday night. Getty Images You didn't really think the New York Yankees would roll over for a sixth consecutive loss to the Blue Jays in the past three weeks did you? This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Sure, the Bronx Bombers have been struggling as they've essentially handed the Jays first place in the American League East, a dramatic turnabout in such a short time frame. Apparently there's still some pride in the Pinstripes, however as they jumped on veteran Max Scherzer and out to an early 4-1 lead before yet another exuberant sellout Rogers Centre crowd. The plucky Jays fought back to tie it only to see Yankees first baseman Ben Rice clobber a solo homer in the ninth to secure a 5-4 win to squelch the bleeding from the defending division champs. It was the Bronx Bombers first victory since losing a four-gamer here earlier in the month and dropping Monday's opener of this three-game set. The loss also defused the Jays franchise record, 11-game home winning streak. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The winning blow came off of Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, who was making his fourth appearance in five days as manager John Schneider was clearly going for the jugular against the Yankees, who moved back to within three games of Toronto's lead in the AL East. The Jays prospects seemed dire in the early going, but then the familiar chorus of this resilient team kicked in yet again. After falling into that 4-1 hole, the Jays resolutely chipped away at the Yankees lead. Addison Barger got it started with his second RBI single of the night in the fifth to cut the deficit to two and then it was pinch-hitting Davis Schneider's turn to deliver a clutch hit, an RBI double in the sixth to score another pinch hitter, Myles Straw. Two batters later, George Springer ripped a single towards Aaron Judge in right field and just like that it was a 4-4 ball game. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Jays had opportunities to finish off the comeback, too. George Springer was left on second base to end the sixth when Vlad Guerrero Jr. struck out in one of those moments that the Jays need him to come up big in. In the seventh, a hard-hit double to lead things off from Bo Bichette yielded nothing, either, setting the stage for Rice's decisive homer in the ninth. Guerrero attempted to get the rally started with a leadoff single off of Yankees closer Devin Williams in the ninth but a Bichette strikeout was followed by a loud fly ball out to right field by Barger and a strikeout of catcher Alejandro Kirk. The loss snapped the Jays franshise-record home winning streak at 11 games and set up a rubber match in the three-game series for Wednesday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. UP SCHLITTLER CREEK On paper, Tuesday's starting pitching matchup seemed lopsided in favour of the Jays. For the Yankees, righty Cam Schlittler was making just his second career start For the Jays, veteran Scherzer took the mound for the 463rd time in the big leagues (and sixth with the Jays). Schlittler, the hard-throwing 24-year-old, is just getting his career stat for a Yankees rotation that has been beset with injuries. Scherzer began the night ranked second among active pitchers in strikeouts (3,431), starts (462) and wins (217.) While his teammates gave him some run support, Schlittler's pitch count climbed to 90 which ended his night after five innings. The righty allowed seven hits and three walks, but limited the damage to two runs – each on RBI singles from Barger in the first and fifth innings. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Scherzer also went five innings, allowing five hits and four earned runs – all of them via the two Yankees home runs – a three-run blast from Jazz Chisholm Jr. in the first and a solo effort from Cody Bellinger in the fifth. 40- PLUS CROWD The combination of summer in the city and an entertaining, first-place team has made the Rogers Centre the place to be in recent weeks. An announced crowd of 42,326 on Tuesday was the fifth consecutive game the Jays have topped the 40,000 mark coming out of the break and was a season high. UP NEXT The six-game homestand ends on Wednesday with the rubber match of a three-game series with Jays righty Chris Bassitt facing Yankees lefty Max Fried, he of the 11-3 record and 2.43 ERA. Canada Canada Olympics Columnists Entertainment
Edmonton Journal
9 minutes ago
- Edmonton Journal
Yankees snap Blue Jays home field mastery with dramatic ninth-inning win
You didn't really think the New York Yankees would roll over for a sixth consecutive loss to the Blue Jays in the past three weeks did you? Article content Sure, the Bronx Bombers have been struggling as they've essentially handed the Jays first place in the American League East, a dramatic turnabout in such a short time frame. Article content Article content Apparently there's still some pride in the Pinstripes, however as they jumped on veteran Max Scherzer and out to an early 4-1 lead before yet another exuberant sellout Rogers Centre crowd. Article content Article content The plucky Jays fought back to tie it only to see Yankees first baseman Ben Rice clobber a solo homer in the ninth to secure a 5-4 win to squelch the bleeding from the defending division champs. It was the Bronx Bombers first victory since losing a four-gamer here earlier in the month and dropping Monday's opener of this three-game set. The loss also defused the Jays franchise record, 11-game home winning streak. Article content Article content The winning blow came off of Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, who was making his fourth appearance in five days as manager John Schneider was clearly going for the jugular against the Yankees, who moved back to within three games of Toronto's lead in the AL East. Article content The Jays prospects seemed dire in the early going, but then the familiar chorus of this resilient team kicked in yet again. After falling into that 4-1 hole, the Jays resolutely chipped away at the Yankees lead. Addison Barger got it started with his second RBI single of the night in the fifth to cut the deficit to two and then it was pinch-hitting Davis Schneider's turn to deliver a clutch hit, an RBI double in the sixth to score another pinch hitter, Myles Straw. Article content Article content Two batters later, George Springer ripped a single towards Aaron Judge in right field and just like that it was a 4-4 ball game. Article content The Jays had opportunities to finish off the comeback, too. George Springer was left on second base to end the sixth when Vlad Guerrero Jr. struck out in one of those moments that the Jays need him to come up big in. Article content In the seventh, a hard-hit double to lead things off from Bo Bichette yielded nothing, either, setting the stage for Rice's decisive homer in the ninth. Article content Guerrero attempted to get the rally started with a leadoff single off of Yankees closer Devin Williams in the ninth but a Bichette strikeout was followed by a loud fly ball out to right field by Barger and a strikeout of catcher Alejandro Kirk. Article content The loss snapped the Jays franshise-record home winning streak at 11 games and set up a rubber match in the three-game series for Wednesday.
Winnipeg Free Press
39 minutes ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Spencer Horwitz, Bryan Reynolds, Tommy Pham star in Pirates' 8-5 victory over skidding Tigers
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Spencer Horwitz, Bryan Reynolds and Tommy Pham each had three hits and two RBIs, and the Pittsburgh Pirates hit eight doubles in an 8-5 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night. Horwitz hit a two-run double in the second inning to open the scoring. The Pirates, who had lost 11 of their previous 12 games, have taken the first two games of the series from the AL Central leaders. Reynolds had RBI singles in the third and sixth and Pham doubled in a run in the sixth as the Pirates increased their lead to 8-3. The Tigers have lost eight of their last nine games. Mitch Keller (4-10) allowed three runs and six hits in six innings to win what could be his final start with the Pirates. The right-hander has been heavily rumored to be traded by the July 31 deadline. David Bednar, another potential trade target, pitched a scoreless ninth for his 15th save in as many opportunities. Casey Mize (9-4) was tagged for five runs (four earned) and 10 hits in four innings. Mize was pitching for the first time since making his first career All-Star Game appearance a week earlier. Jake Rogers hit a three-run home run, his second of the season, in the fifth inning. Jahmai Jones added a two-run shot as a pinch-hitter in the eighth. Tigers All-Star shortstop Javier Báez returned and was 1 for 4 after missing Monday night's game with left shoulder soreness. Key moment The Tigers put runners on first and second with one out in the ninth before Bednar escaped the jam by striking out Wenceel Pérez and Riley Greene. Key stat Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Horwitz, Pham and Oneil Cruz became the first Pirates trio to have two doubles in a game since 2002. Up next The series concludes Wednesday with the Tigers planning to call up RHP Troy Melton from Triple-A Toledo for his major league debut, facing LHP Bailey Falter (6-5, 4.00 ERA). ___ AP MLB:
