TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays did more than delay the inevitable Monday night.
Eventually, the Yankees will clinch the AL East, and with their magic number still two, that could easily occur this week at Rogers Centre. The way he’s hitting, Aaron Judge seems likely to make history at some point soon, tying Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs.
But the Blue Jays made sure neither celebration happened Monday, holding Judge homerless in five trips to the plate and keeping the Yankees’ champagne on ice with a walk-off, 3-2 win. In doing so, they showed off some high-end pitching – the kind that will surely play once the playoffs begin later next week.
A strong start from Kevin Gausman led the way for the Blue Jays, who gain a half game in the standings on the Rays and Mariners, both of whom were idle. Scoreless outings from Adam Cimber, Yimi Garcia, Jordan Romano and Anthony Bass followed as the Toronto pitching staff limited the AL’s best offence to just two runs. Then, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. walked it off in the 10th with a single that scored Cavan Biggio.
But even after a close game between two division rivals, what didn’t happen stands out nearly as much as what did.
Every time Judge came to the plate, a sense of anticipation set in at Rogers Centre. Phones went up, recording Judge’s every move. Some fans held signs inviting Judge to hit one into the outfield seats, nearly all of which were full. Right behind the Yankees’ first base dugout, Roger Maris Jr. sat and chatted with Judge’s mom.
On the field, a different set of routines played out. Home plate umpire Laz Diaz received a new set of baseballs from the ball boys each time Judge stepped in. The baseballs were individually identifiable with numbers and other undisclosed ways of making sure the record-setting ball can be verified. A league authenticator was on the scene just in case. Starter Kevin Gausman had to pretend nothing unusual was happening.
Yet this was not the night for Judge, who singled and walked his first times up before striking out twice his next two at-bats. With two on and two out in the tenth, the Blue Jays walked Judge intentionally, preferring to have Tim Mayza face Anthony Rizzo, who grounded out to end the threat.
Before the game, manager John Schneider explained the balancing act involved when facing a hitter as locked in as Judge.
“Pitch him carefully,” Schneider said. “The baseball fan in me respects the hell out of Aaron Judge and the year he’s put together and how he is as a person, too. It would be nice to keep him on ice for a couple of days. And I hope we’re winning by 12 if he hits a home run.”
Making his 30th start of the season, Gausman pitched 6.1 innings of two-run ball, striking out seven to reach 201 whiffs on the season. The only walk he issued went to Judge as the right-hander lowered his season ERA to 3.30. Put simply, Gausman did what frontline starters do, going deep into the game against an elite offence with minimal damage allowed.
In the fourth inning, a Yankees misplay helped the Blue Jays get on the board. With none out and Bo Bichette on first, Guerrero Jr. bounced a 111.5 m.p.h. laser to shortstop. But Isiah Kiner-Falefa struggled to field it, and instead of a double-play, the Yankees had runners on first and second.
After an Alejandro Kirk walk loaded the bases, Teoscar Hernandez crushed a ball off the top of the centre field wall for a two-run double. Believing the ball was gone, Hernandez left the batter’s box slowly, but he still made it to second when the Yankees threw home in a futile attempt to stop Guerrero Jr. from scoring.
On Tuesday, the Blue Jays will look for their 88th win of the season with Jose Berrios starting opposite Jameson Taillon.
