Brooms are on standby.
The Toronto Blue Jays will look to complete a four-game sweep of the New York Yankees on Thursday night at Rogers Centre — and sole possession of the AL East lead is at stake, too.
After winning the first three games of the series against the Yankees, the Blue Jays sit tied with the Bronx Bombers for the division lead with identical 48-38 records. The Tampa Bay Rays, who have Thursday off, are a half-game back at 48-39.
Toronto will send Chris Bassitt (7-4, 4.29 ERA) to the bump for the crucial game, while New York counters with Clarke Schmidt (4-4, 3.09 ERA).
Catch the action live on Sportsnet and Sportsnet+ beginning at 7 p.m. ET / 4 p.m. PT.
The teams are coming off a rollicking game Wednesday in which the Blue Jays blasted out to a 7-0 lead after the first inning only to see the Yankees tie the game at 9 when Aaron Judge hit a two-run homer in the eighth inning.
But Toronto fought back in the bottom of the inning with a pair of runs of its own, and closer Jeff Hoffman shut the door in the ninth.
“I don’t know if I’ve ever been so tired after a game emotionally, physically obviously, but more so just mentally exhausted, just with the roller-coaster,” said Ernie Clement, who filled in at shortstop with Bo Bichette still working through some knee discomfort.
“It takes a lot of character to stay in the moment and not panic when stuff starts going not our way. It says a lot about this group. We’ve come together and rely on each other. That’s just a really solid win.”
Utility man Davis Schneider launched his second and third home runs of the season in the victory, while breakout star Addison Barger also went deep.
The Blue Jays have scored 28 runs through the first three games of the series after winning the opener 5-4 followed by a 12-5 victory in the Canada Day matinée, when George Springer had two home runs and seven RBIs.
Bichette’s status for Thursday’s finale remains unclear. He was a late scratch ahead of Monday’s game after suffering a knee injury and has yet to appear in the series.
The Blue Jays and Yankees will next meet for a three-game set at Yankee Stadium beginning July 21.
