Blue Jays-Rangers ALDS Game 4: DYK?
For the second straight day, the Blue Jays won an elimination game in Texas.
Their 8-4 victory over the Rangers on Monday sent the American League Division Series back to Toronto for a decisive Game 5 on Wednesday (4 p.m. ET, FS1/Sportsnet). The Blue Jays became the fifth team to force a Game 5 after losing the first two games of a best-of-five series at home, according to ESPN.
:: ALDS: Rangers vs. Blue Jays -- Tune-in info ::
Here are some other notable facts and figures from Monday's contest.
• The Blue Jays' three home runs and seven extra-base hits both are new team records for the postseason.
• Shop for postseason gear: Rangers | Blue Jays
• Toronto is now 26-4 this season when homering at least three times in a game, including 12-0 on the road.
• Blue Jays knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who will turn 41 later this month, is the fifth-oldest pitcher to make his postseason debut, and the second-oldest since Satchel Paige in 1948. He is the oldest to make his debut as a starter, either pitcher or hitter. Among active pitchers, only Aaron Harang and Felix Hernandez had started more games than Dickey (240) without appearing in the playoffs.
• When David Price relieved Dickey with two outs in the fifth inning, it was his first appearance out of the bullpen since Oct. 2, 2010. Price also pitched in relief nine times for the Rays in 2008, including five times in the postseason.
• Price's three-inning outing was the second-longest relief appearance of his career. He threw 5 1/3 innings for Tampa Bay against the Yankees on Sept. 14, 2008, in his Major League debut.
• Despite giving up three runs, Price was credited with the win. He had lost each of his last six postseason appearances and had not picked up a victory since coming out of the bullpen in Game 2 of the 2008 ALCS against Boston.
• Toronto has tied a postseason record by not issuing a walk in two consecutive games, becoming the 16th team to do so and first since the Rangers in the 2010 ALDS against the Rays.
• Entering the day, Prince Fielder already had gone 89 straight postseason plate appearances without an RBI, the Majors' longest active streak, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He extended that streak to 93 on Monday. Fielder last drove in a run in Game 1 of the 2012 ALCS for the Tigers against the Yankees.
• Rangers lefty Derek Holland became the 19th pitcher to give up at least six earned runs while recording no more than six outs in a postseason start. He was the first to do it for the Rangers.
• Kevin Pillar's second-inning homer for the Blue Jays was his seventh on the road this season and first since Aug. 26, also at Texas.
Video: TOR@TEX Gm4: Pillar's solo homer is caught by Price
• Every Toronto starter reached base safely at least once.
• Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna retired the side in order in the ninth and now has thrown four perfect innings in the series, across three appearances. He is only the second pitcher to begin his postseason career with at least three perfect outings of an inning or more in the same year, joining Pete Ladd of the 1982 Brewers.
• Although he did drive in a run, the Rangers' Mitch Moreland went 0-for-4 on Monday. He is now 0-for-10 in the series and 2-for-37 in his last 13 postseason games, going back to Game 3 of the 2011 ALDS.
• Historically, clubs have not enjoyed a home-field advantage in Game 5 of the Division Series, with the home team going 9-14 in those contests.
• There have been eight clubs to force a Game 5 after facing an 0-2 deficit in the Division Series. Those eight clubs were a combined 5-3 in Game 5. The most recent team to follow that path was the 2012 Giants, who came back from an 0-2 hole against the Reds to win Game 5 on the road. That Giants team would go on to win the World Series.