The Toronto Blue Jays and the New York Yankees played an October baseball game, at least in terms of the atmosphere. A packed crowd at the Rogers Centre filed in on the Andres Gimenez new blue jersey giveaway night and left witnessing one of the most exciting games of the season.

When the dust finally settled in the back-and-forth contest, the Jays walked away victorious by a score of 5-4.

Max Scherzer went five innings for the Jays, allowing just three hits with zero walks and two runs, both of which came off a Jazz Chisholm Jr. two-run shot to right field. The veteran right-hander struck out seven on the day, including Aaron Judge twice, and would have gone further had he not been pulled due to his thumb giving him issues again.

Opposite Scherzer was left-hander Carlos Rodon, who held his own against Toronto for five innings, allowing just two earned runs. The Jays were patient against the Yankees’ hurler, with Rodon amassing three walks on the day, and while the Toronto bats didn’t figure things out until the midway point of the game, they used the small ball method and some solid base running to get ahead when it mattered.

With New York leading 3-1 at the bottom of the sixth inning, Davis Schneider lined a double to the left field side to end Rodon’s night, bringing in Mark Leiter Jr. The Blue Jays would tack on four runs that inning, with Myles Straw, Nathan Lukes, and Ernie Clement all providing singles to eventually put two runners on. A catcher’s interference call on George Springer loaded the bases for Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and the slugger lined a hard groundball that tucked under Chisholm Jr’s glove at third base, scoring two. Springer would leave the game after colliding with the Yankees’ third baseman on a dive while trying to stretch a first-to-third run, being called out on the play.

The Jays would carry the 5-3 lead into the top of the eighth before Mason Fluharty gave up a solo shot to Cody Bellinger to make it a one-run lead for the home team. After intentionally walking Aaron Judge and Chisholm sac bunt, Chad Green replaced the southpaw and immediately walked Giancarlo Stanton to put two runners on with just one out. Two flyballs to centre fielder Myles Straw would end the inning, but not without some panic-inducing moments from the home crowd.

Right-hander Jeff Hoffman would be tasked to close out the game, and after getting a pop out and a strikeout, Jasson Dominguez would line a ball up the middle to keep the outing going, bringing Bellinger back to the plate. Known for his ability to hit for power off the right-handers, Hoffman was up on the Yankees slugger 0-2 before getting him to pop out to right field to end the game.

It was an exciting night at the Rogers Centre, one that brought back the memories of postseason baseball minus the soul-crushing loss that usually follows in October. The Jays’ bats didn’t hit the long ball, but got contributions up and down the lineup.

They collected 10 hits on the day, with Ernie Clement, Guerrero and Schneider all having two apiece (a single and a double each for the latter two). Straw, Lukes, Jonatan Clase, and Will Wagner also had hits of their own while Guerrero led the group with his three RBIs.

Outside of Scherzer, Brendon Little and Fluharty were tagged with an earned run apiece, while Braydon Fisher stole the show in the top of the seventh. The right-hander struck out Anthony Volpe, DJ LeMahieu, and Dominguez to finish the frame, with the only blemish being a J.C. Escarra walk to create some tension on the first base bag.

The Jays will face the Yankees in an afternoon contest for the annual Canada Day game, with Kevin Gausman taking the mound for the home team. The Bronx Bombers will be sending Max Fried to the mound, making for an interesting game that should rival the atmosphere fans witnessed tonight.

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