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More than 100 people filed into the Canadian Brewhouse in Saskatoon’s Stonebridge neighbourhood on Wednesday with one goal on their mind: watching the Toronto Blue Jays advance to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2016.
To advance, the Jays only needed one more win against their biggest rivals, the New York Yankees, in game four of the American League Division Series.
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The odds weren’t exactly stacked in Toronto’s favour, as the team opted for a bullpen game while the Yankees countered with their rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler. Even still, Blue Jays fan Ben Redekop said he wasn’t feeling nervous ahead of the game.
“We have to go to the bullpen regardless,” he said.
Redekop’s confidence was well placed, as Blue Jays are moving on after a 5-2 win over the Yankees.
The game started out picture perfect for the Jays, as George Springer roped a single and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. knocked him in with a single of his own, making it 1-0.
It took a couple innings, but in the bottom of the third Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon took Blue Jays lefty Mason Fluharty deep, tying the game at one.
In the top of the fifth inning, Springer hit a sacrifice fly, giving the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. Then, in the top of the seventh, Nathan Lukes knocked in two more runs, extending the Jays’ lead to 4-1.
Myles Straw added to the lead with a single to right field, making it 5-1. An Aaron Judge single off the wall made it 5-2, but that’s where it ended.
While Guerrero Jr. may have stolen the show, players like Lukes and Ernie Clement also had a major impact on the series
“I think it comes down to the staff on this team,” Redekop said. “Those guys bring it, and they show up and they play the game they have to play.”
Redekop said he couldn’t contain his happiness after seeing the Jays move on.
“Oh man, this just makes me stoked,” he said. “It brings me back to the days of the (José) Bautista bat flip.”
Rob Meyers, another Saskatoon fan, said beating the Yankees in New York is like a cherry on top of a fantastic season.
“I loved seeing Aaron Judge’s head down walking out of there,” he said.
Meyers said he’s aiming to live out a dream and see the Blue Jays play a playoff game in person.
“I’m going to go to either Detroit or Seattle,” he said. “Haven’t felt like this since 2015 when I saw them in Toronto in the playoffs.”
Game one of the ALCS is on Sunday in Toronto. The Blue Jays will face the winner of the matchup between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers as Toronto vies for its first World Series berth since the team won it all in 1993.
