It been over two decades, but the Toronto Blue Jays have finally delivered a division title to Canada.
For the first time since 1993 the Blue Jays are the American League East champions. And they achieved the feat just as the 2015 club would have - they scored 15 runs on 18 hits in the first game of today's doubleheader against the Baltimore Orioles.
Celebrate like it's 1993! pic.twitter.com/s9sTLLxyCn
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 30, 2015
YOUR @BLUEJAYS ARE AL EAST CHAMPS!!! With a 15-2 win over O's, the division title is coming to Canada! #ComeTogether pic.twitter.com/HGCnPqXSal
— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) September 30, 2015
Everyone on the team registered an RBI except outfielder Kevin Pillar.
Toronto (93-65) clinched the AL East with the 15-2 win on Wednesday and last night they clinched a guaranteed split of the division when the New York Yankees lost to the Boston Red Sox.
Although it wasn't the exact setting in which the Blue Jays would have liked to celebrate, considering the festivities will have to wait until after tonight's game, the feeling was still genuine for the players.
"You're on the road, but it felt like a home game," said starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, via The Associated Press. "I thought the majority of the stadium was Blue Jays fans. So that just goes to show how excited people are to take the trip down from the North to see us clinch. It's been special.
"Everyone is elated. Everyone is ecstatic and happy. But we have 30 minutes in between games so we have to lock it back in quickly. I am sure there will be a celebration postgame."
Stroman is the poster boy for resiliency, which has characterized this Blue Jays team in 2015. The 24-year-old tore his ACL in spring training and was expected to miss the season, but he managed to return to MLB action this month and has absolutely dominated. He surrendered just one earned run on five hits and two walks while striking out eight batters over eight innings today.
Toronto's high-powered offense allowed Stroman to improve to 4-0. They scored five runs in the top of the ninth inning to put an exclamation point on the win and their successful regular season.
With only five games remaining, the Blue Jays still have one last feat to accomplish - maintain home-field advantage throughout the postseason. Right now they're the best team in the American League and have a two-game cushion over the Kansas City Royals.
Toronto has two games left against the O's and three more against the Tampa Bay Rays, while the Royals have two remaining in Chicago against the White Sox before they close out the year with a three-game set in Minnesota against the Twins.
