Rangers win in extra
TORONTO—Two games into their first playoff appearance in 22 years, the Toronto Blue Jays have put themselves in a tight spot.
Backup infielder Hanser Alberto hit a game-winning single in the 14th inning Friday, helping the Texas Rangers beat the Blue Jays 6-4 for a 2-0 lead in the best-offive American League Division Series.
“The task at hand is pretty simple,” slugger Josh Donaldson said. “We have to win or we go home.”
This isn’t where the Blue Jays expected to be after a red-hot second half propelled them past the Yankees and secured their first division title since 1993.
“Our backs are against the wall,” Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said. “It’s not where you want to be but that’s what we’re faced with.”
The underdog Rangers will try to sweep the Blue Jays at
home in Game 3 Sunday. Martin Perez will start for Texas against Marco Estrada.
San Francisco was the last team to do it, coming back to beat Cincinnati three straight times after losing at home in the first two games of their 2012 National League Division Series.
Alberto, batting last and only in the lineup because star third baseman Adrian Beltre was out with a strained back, made an error that led to Toronto’s first two runs but redeemed himself with his big hit in extra innings.
Alberto, a 22-year-old rookie who made his big league debut this season, also had a sacrifice fly.
Texas shut out the highest-scoring team in the majors after the fifth inning. The victory for Banister’s team made road clubs 5-0 in the playoffs to that point—the only previous time that happened in the postseason was the 1906 all-Chicago World Series, STATS said.
Kansas City snapped that run with a 5-4 victory over Houston later Friday.
Keone Kela (1-0) worked one inning for the win, staying calm after a dustup with Donaldson.