Ernie Clement had a standout performance with two runs and two RBIs, while rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage pitched five scoreless innings as the Toronto Blue Jays secured a 5-1 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays during Saturday’s game. Alejandro Kirk contributed with a solo home run, bringing the Blue Jays’ magic number to clinch the American League East Division title down to one.
A win for Toronto against the Rays in the upcoming Sunday game or a loss for New York against Baltimore would grant the Blue Jays their first East crown since 2015. Currently, the Blue Jays and the Yankees are tied for first place, with Toronto holding the tiebreaker due to a superior head-to-head record. Meanwhile, New York defeated the Baltimore Orioles 6-1 in an earlier Saturday match.
The team that finishes second in the division will face either Boston or Detroit in a best-of-three Wild Card Series starting on Tuesday. The division winner will claim the top playoff seed in the AL, commencing a best-of-five Division Series at home on October 4.
The excitement peaked in the second inning when Clement’s double off Joe Boyle (1-4) brought in Addison Barger and Davis Schneider, igniting the crowd of 42,624. Clement later scored on a single by Andres Gimenez, and he added another run in the fifth inning from a single by Nathan Lukes. Kirk sealed the victory with his 13th homer of the season in the seventh inning.
Yesavage (1-0) showcased his skills by striking out five and walking two, overcoming a bases-loaded situation in the third inning by striking out Jonathan Aranda. Although Aranda hit a solo homer off Yariel Rodriguez in the sixth, the Blue Jays secured their third consecutive win and their 11th victory in the last 18 games.
Tampa Bay (77-84) slipped seven games under .500 for the first time since April 20, 2018, amid their defeat. The Blue Jays continued their dominance at Rogers Centre, boasting an impressive home record of 53-27 this season, the best in the American League. The franchise’s highest home win total of 54 was achieved back in 1985.
On the other hand, the Rays faced a setback by losing the middle game of the series, extending their winless streak to seven series (0-6-1). This marks their longest series drought since the conclusion of the 2006 season.
A notable moment came in the fifth inning when Lukes’ accurate throw from right field caught Chandler Simpson off-guard at third base, resulting in an out after Simpson slid past the bag and Barger made the tag.
This victory marked Toronto’s first series win over Tampa Bay since their triumph in a three-game series at Tropicana Field in September 2023.
Looking ahead, Kevin Gausman (10-11, 3.47 ERA) was set to start for Toronto against left-hander Ian Seymour (4-2, 2.85) in the upcoming game.
