Blue Jays Force Game 5 after 8-4 Win Over Rangers

On Monday, Game Five of the ALDS seemed to be destined after three innings between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers.

Scoring in every one of the first three innings, the Blue Jays avoided elimination again as they took down the Rangers, 8-4, at Globe Life Park and tied the AL Division Series at two apiece.

Toronto jumped out to an early three-run lead after Derek Holland‘s 17 pitches in the top of the first. Josh Donaldson smacked a two-run homer and Chris Colabello blasted a solo homer.  Kevin Pillar homered to left center in the second, putting his team ahead by four. After the Texas left-hander walked Donaldson and allowed Jose Bautista‘s double, he was replaced by Colby Lewis who immediately surrendered three runs the first 21 pitches he saw.

The 40-year-old R.A Dickey, on the other hand, did not give up a run in his first postseason appearance until his wild pitch allowed Shin-Soo Choo to score. That finally put the Rangers on board in the bottom of the third. The knuckleballer tossed 4.2 innings and allowed only one run with three strikeouts and no walks, battling the team that drafted him in 1996. David Price then relieved Dickey and took the mound for the Blue Jays.

Pillar ripped a RBI single in the seventh to extend Blue Jays’ cushion to seven again before Texas amassed a rally attempt. But the bid fell short as the hole was too large to fill despite Robinson Chirinos’ RBI single in the seventh and Rangers’ two-run eighth.

Game 5 takes place on Wednesday in Toronto as Cole Hamels will face off against Marcus Stroman in a rematch from Game 2, which Texas won in 14 innings.