Blue Jays beat Yankees 5-2 in Game 4, advance to ALCS for first time since 2016

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Toronto Blue Jays head to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) after defeating the New York Yankees 5-2 in Game 4 of the ALDS on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.

This is the first time the Blue Jays have reached the ALCS since 2016, and they will face the winner of Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers in the ALDS.

After a landslide victory Yankee In Game 3 to stay alive in the series, the momentum was certainly on the home team's side in the Bronx heading into Game 4. This was especially true for Cam Schlittler, the favorite Wild Card Round rookie who shut down the Boston Red Sox to help his team advance into the postseason.

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Yariel Rodriguez of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts during Game 4 of the American League Division Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday in New York. (Daniel Sheary/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

But as in all series, the Blue Jays scratched and tried to get a run, and it was Vladimir Guerrero Jr. do the job again in the first inning. When George Springer hit a leadoff double to lead off the game, Guerrero hit a single to right to get Toronto on the board first.

Blue Jays manager John Schneider worked on his bullpen performance, meaning he picked the right matchups with his relievers. He walked Louis Varland, who gave up the game-tying three-run homer to Aaron Judge on Tuesday night and the eventual game-winning single to Jazz Chisholm Jr. to start the game.

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Warland got the job done, but Mason Fluharty allowed the Yankees to tie the game when Ryan McMahon, the No. 9 hitter, turned on an off-speed pitch and sent it over the short porch in right field to make it 1-1.

In the top of the fifth inning, Toronto saw their eight-hitter and nine-hitter Ernie Clement and Andres Jimenez give their team an opportunity after they both hit singles to put runners on the corners with no one out. Springer hit a sacrifice fly to retake the lead, although the Blue Jays couldn't do much more.

It was still too close for the Blue Jays' comfort as the Yankees were knocking on the door in the bottom of the sixth inning with runners on first and second – the first time all night they had runners in scoring position. But Chisholm flied out to second base to end the threat of a tie or, better yet, for the home team to take the lead.

Then the most decisive moment came in the top of the seventh inning when Clement reached base again. Jimenez hit a sharp liner on his next at-bat, but it appeared to be an inning-ending double play ball as it headed straight to Chisholm. But Chisholm couldn't handle it, and now runners found themselves in second and third with one out.

Nathan Lux released an RBI single.

Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lux hits an RBI double during the seventh inning against the New York Yankees on Wednesday at Yankee Stadium. (Brad Penner/Imagn Images)

Devin Williams entered the game replacing Schlitter after he pitched 6.1 innings for his team. He got Springer to hit for a massive miss as the Yankees came close to avoiding a potentially fatal error.

But Nathan Lux, a 31-year-old contact guy, hit a single to center field, scoring Clement and Jimenez, to make it 4-1. Although only three runs, it seemed like more considering the Yankees couldn't consistently get runners on base like they did in Game Three.

The Blue Jays would add another in the top of the eighth inning thanks to Miles Straw connecting on a single to right field to score Alejandro Kirk, but it was always the rest of the Toronto bullpen that would really close this game out.

The Yankees threatened with runners in the bottom of the seventh and eighth innings, but the Blue Jays were able to return to the dugout unscathed. The biggest pitch was Jeff Hoffman, Toronto's closer, working with the bases loaded after Austin Wells flied out to left field.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. silenced the crowd

Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reacts after hitting a two-run homer during Game 3 on Tuesday. (Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images)

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Hoffman got the final three outs needed to start the celebration as the Yankees and their fans were stunned by the end of the season.

The Blue Jays finished the game with 12 hits to the Yankees' five, and they used eight different pitchers to get the job done.

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