Yankees Make Historic Comeback Against Blue Jays in ALDS Game 3
The New York Yankees have proven they are far from done in the postseason. In a dramatic turn of events, they staged a remarkable comeback from a 6-1 deficit, clinching their largest elimination game victory in franchise history with a 9-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 3 of the American League Division Series (ALDS).
The Yankees unleashed a powerful offensive performance, scoring eight unanswered runs during the middle innings. With their sights set on survival, they are now looking to rookie Cam Schlittler, whose impressive first postseason start helped secure their Wild Card Series victory over the Boston Red Sox. Schlittler will be on the mound again as the Yankees face elimination once more on Wednesday night.
In a strategic move, Blue Jays manager John Schneider is expected to employ a bullpen game to counter the Yankees’ suddenly revitalized lineup.
A Thrilling Game at Yankee Stadium
In the early moments of the game, the Yankee Stadium crowd was subdued as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. launched a home run off Carlos Rodón, giving the Blue Jays an early 2-0 lead. The Yankees quickly retaliated with a two-out single from Giancarlo Stanton in the first inning. However, Toronto further extended their lead in the third inning, scoring four runs with key singles from Daulton Varsho, Ernie Clement, and Anthony Santander, pushing the score to 6-1.
Despite the mounting pressure, the Yankees refused to crumble. Aaron Judge stepped up, hitting an RBI double in the third, followed by Stanton’s sacrifice fly that brought Cody Bellinger home, narrowing Toronto’s lead to 6-3.
Turning Point for the Yankees
The Yankees were hunting for a game-changing moment, which came when an easy pop-up by Austin Wells turned into a costly error by Addison Barger. With Wells on second and Trent Grisham on base, Judge came to the plate, facing a crucial opportunity to tie the game. Critics have often scrutinized Judge’s postseason performance, but he stepped up when it mattered most.
Facing Louis Varland, the Blue Jays’ reliever, Judge hit a stunning three-run homer down the left-field line, tying the game at six and igniting the Yankee fans into a frenzy.
With the momentum on their side, the Yankees continued to push forward. Jazz Chisholm Jr. launched a fastball into the second deck in right field in the fifth inning, giving the Yankees their first lead of the series. Wells added another run with an RBI single, extending the Yankees’ lead to 8-6.
Closing Strong
With a 9-6 advantage following a sacrifice fly from Ben Rice in the sixth, the Yankees turned to their bullpen to secure the win. Devin Williams and David Bednar delivered stellar performances, with Williams striking out two batters and Bednar wrapping up the game without allowing a hit.
New York’s victory would not have been possible without the strong relief efforts from Fernando Cruz, Camilo Doval, and Tim Hill, who effectively stifled the Blue Jays’ offense during critical moments.
Game 4 is set for Wednesday at 8:08 p.m. ET at Yankee Stadium, as the Yankees look to continue their playoff journey.
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Scott Thompson is a sports writer for Fox News Digital.
