Mets Get Reacquainted With Chase Utley and the Result Is a Broken Leg, After the team lost the first two games in a best-of-five American League Division Series in Toronto, including a 14-inning heartbreaker in Game 2 on Friday, fans watched in horror as the Jays morphed from powerful favourites to underdogs. But it's not over, yet.
Here are five things to watch for in Game 3.
These teams don't like each other
Josh Donaldson just missed hitting his fourth walk-off home run of the season in extra innings in Game 2 and he knew it. The Jays slugger and potential AL most valuable player glared at Rangers relief pitcher Keone Kela following his long foul ball and yelled a few choice words, sparking a bench- and bullpen-clearing confrontation, and while no punches were thrown, it was a sure sign this series is getting tense.
A fan video also captured Texas pitcher Derek Holland wiping his rear with a Blue Jays rally towel after the game.
Will the night make things right?
Plenty of Toronto fans complained about the afternoon start times for Games 1 and 2 (or, you know, called in sick), but the early starts seemed to hurt the Jays' players most.
The Rangers scored early in both contests, scoring seven of their 11 runs before the fifth inning. And in both games, the Jays appeared to get better as the games went on.
Game 3 is set for 8:10 p.m. ET in Arlington, Tex., or 7 p.m. local.
Can the Jays find their hitting?
The Blue Jays, masters of scoring 10-plus runs in a game, mustered just seven in the first two games. Many are wondering what's happened to the team's bats. Sure, there were some questionable calls by the umpires in Game 2 and the team had plenty of chances, but the consistent hitting up and down the lineup has been missing so far.
Looking at the batting numbers, the Blue Jays are too good to be silenced for long.
Fans want to believe
Here are a few lines overheard from fans after the Jays' 6-4, 14-inning loss in Game 2:
"I really thought they had it."
"That was emotionally exhausting."
"We really needed that one."
Many, if not most, of the 49,716 Jays fans in attendance Friday felt Game 2 was a must-win for the team. After the game, there were plenty who had given up on the season. Still, pockets of fans chanted "three straight wins!"
The Jays have proven they can go on a winning streak. But after 22 years out of the playoffs, this is a challenging time for fans to keep the faith.
A giant reason to believe
Losing the first two games at home is bad. Scratch that, very bad. But you don't need to be a baseball historian to remember a team doing exactly what the Jays need to do.
In 2012, the San Francisco Giants were crushed by a combined score of 14-2 in the first two games of the National League Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Then the Giants won three straight. They followed that up by winning the World Series.
But first, Toronto needs to win Game 3. Brace yourselves, Jays fans, it only gets more tense from here.
Here are five things to watch for in Game 3.
These teams don't like each other
Josh Donaldson just missed hitting his fourth walk-off home run of the season in extra innings in Game 2 and he knew it. The Jays slugger and potential AL most valuable player glared at Rangers relief pitcher Keone Kela following his long foul ball and yelled a few choice words, sparking a bench- and bullpen-clearing confrontation, and while no punches were thrown, it was a sure sign this series is getting tense.A fan video also captured Texas pitcher Derek Holland wiping his rear with a Blue Jays rally towel after the game.
Will the night make things right?
Plenty of Toronto fans complained about the afternoon start times for Games 1 and 2 (or, you know, called in sick), but the early starts seemed to hurt the Jays' players most.
The Rangers scored early in both contests, scoring seven of their 11 runs before the fifth inning. And in both games, the Jays appeared to get better as the games went on.
Game 3 is set for 8:10 p.m. ET in Arlington, Tex., or 7 p.m. local.
Can the Jays find their hitting?
The Blue Jays, masters of scoring 10-plus runs in a game, mustered just seven in the first two games. Many are wondering what's happened to the team's bats. Sure, there were some questionable calls by the umpires in Game 2 and the team had plenty of chances, but the consistent hitting up and down the lineup has been missing so far.
Looking at the batting numbers, the Blue Jays are too good to be silenced for long.
Fans want to believe
Here are a few lines overheard from fans after the Jays' 6-4, 14-inning loss in Game 2:
"I really thought they had it."
"That was emotionally exhausting."
"We really needed that one."
Many, if not most, of the 49,716 Jays fans in attendance Friday felt Game 2 was a must-win for the team. After the game, there were plenty who had given up on the season. Still, pockets of fans chanted "three straight wins!"
The Jays have proven they can go on a winning streak. But after 22 years out of the playoffs, this is a challenging time for fans to keep the faith.
A giant reason to believe
Losing the first two games at home is bad. Scratch that, very bad. But you don't need to be a baseball historian to remember a team doing exactly what the Jays need to do.
In 2012, the San Francisco Giants were crushed by a combined score of 14-2 in the first two games of the National League Division Series against the Cincinnati Reds. Then the Giants won three straight. They followed that up by winning the World Series.
But first, Toronto needs to win Game 3. Brace yourselves, Jays fans, it only gets more tense from here.
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