Blue Jays Still in Ball Game

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Marco Estrada came up with a superb start in the most important outing of his career, stopping the Royals’ hit parade and helping the Toronto Blue Jays sent the AL Championship Series back to Kansas City.

Estrada pitched one-hit ball into the eighth inning, giving Toronto’s tattered bullpen a rest, and the Blue Jays beat the Royals 7-1 Wednesday to close to 3-2 in the best-of-seven series.

Troy Tulowitzki broke open the game with a three-run double off Kelvin Herrera in the sixth, giving him seven RBIs in the series. Edwin Encarnacion had walked with the bases loaded against Edinson Volquez, who seemed flustered by close calls against the Royals.

Estrada faced the minimum 20 batters before Lorenzo Cain walked with two outs in the seventh. Closer Roberto Osuna was perfect in the ninth.

Yordano Ventura will start for the defending AL champions on Friday in Game 6 against David Price, the Game 2 loser.

Estrada, a 32-year-old right-hander, enabled his bullpen to rest, a day after Kansas City romped 14-2 in a game that saw infielder Cliff Pennington pitch in the the ninth.

Toronto is trying to become just the 13th team in 80 who trailed 3-1 in best-of-seven postseason series and rallied to win. It has happened four of 17 times in the LCS, including when the Royals bounced back against the Blue Jays in 1985 en route to Kansas City’s only World Series title. In this year’s best-of-five Division Series, Toronto lost the first two games before winning three straight against Texas.

Before 49,325 roaring fans, Chris Colabello’s solo homer into the left-field seats in the second gave Estrada a lead. It was the only mistake for Volquez, the Game 1 winner,.

Estrada didn’t make a miscue until Salvador Perez homered with two outs in the eighth. Estrada retired his first nine batters, ending at four Escobar’s record streak of leading off playoff games with hits.

Escobar, who entered 9 for 15 (.600), got Kansas City’s first hit when he opened the fourth with a ground single past a diving Tulowitzki at shortstop.

Zobrist promptly grounded into a double play to second baseman Ryan Goins.

Kansas City had no other runners until Cain walked with two outs in the seventh. Price got up in the bullpen after that free pass, but Estrada got Eric Hosmer to fly out.

Volquez allowed just two singles after Colabello connected but lost the strike zone in the sixth.

Ben Revere led off with a walk and Volquez hit Josh Donaldson with the first pitch. In August, Volquez hit Donaldson in a testy game that included a benches-clearing scrum.

He walked Jose Bautista in a nine-pitch at-bat on a pitch that looked to get a piece of the plate.

“I thought the pitch to Bautista was definitely a strike,” Royals manager Ned Yost said.

Encarnacion walked on another pitch that upset Volquez and manager Ned Yost. Volquez turned his back to plate umpire Dan Iassogna as Revere jogged home for a 2-0 lead. It was his last batter.

Herrera relieved and struck out Colabello. With the crowd chanting “Tu-lo! Tu-lo!” Tulowitzki sent homered to send fans into a towel-waving frenzy.

Bautista and Donaldson had consecutive doubles off Danny Duffy in the seventh to make it 6-0, and Kevin Pillar doubled in a run in the eighth.

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Royals Take American Lead

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Ben Zobrist and the relentless Kansas City Royals showed they can play home run derby, too. And with one more win, they’ll have a chance to show off their power in a return trip to the World Series.

Zobrist hit a two-run homer on knuckleballer R.A. Dickey’s fourth pitch of the game, Alex Riosconnected an inning later and the Royals romped past theToronto Blue Jays 14-2 Tuesday for a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Lorenzo Cain scored on a passed ball and Mike Moustakas had a sacrifice fly in an LCS-record four-run top of the first.

Alcides Escobar had four RBI and Cain drove in three runs as the Royals bounced back from an 11-8 loss Monday. Kansas City led 5-2 in the seventh before breaking away.

Blue Jays infielder Cliff Pennington relieved in the ninth inning, becoming the first primarily position player to pitch in the postseason, STATS said. Greeted by cheers, he allowed two hits and got one out.

Kansas City can win the pennant Wednesday, when Edinson Volquez starts against Toronto’s Marco Estrada in a Game 1 rematch.

After flashing power to build a 5-0 lead on the long ball, the Royals returned to their pesky ways late in the game against the Blue Jays’ struggling bullpen. They scored nine runs with three more sacrifice flies, a barrage of slashing hits and heads-up baserunning.

Blue Jays fans had seen enough after Cain’s two-run single in the eighth, turning their ever-optimistic cheers to jeers when Mark Lowe replaced Ryan Madson.

The 36-year-old Chris Young bested Dickey, 40, in a bookish matchup of veteran starters -- only the pairing of the Yankees’ Randy Johnson and Detroit’s Kenny Rogers in the 2006 ALDS tops the duo for combined age.

But just like his counterpart’s effort in Game 4 of the Division Series against Texas, the 6-foot-10 Young was lifted one out shy of qualifying for a victory when Ned Yost went to his bullpen with a runner on first with two outs in the fifth. Yost wasn’t willing to take any chances againstJosh Donaldson, who already had a ground-rule double that cut Toronto’s deficit to 5-2.

Dickey never had a chance to get that first playoff victory in a 13-year big league career.

Escobar got a hit leading off for the fourth straight game, starting this one with a bunt down the third-base line. Zobrist connected for his first homer of the ALCS.

Rios homered against his former team in the second for a 5-0 lead. After Dickey hit Escobar with a pitch -- a call that needed replay review to get it right -- he walked Cain one out later and was done after 1 2/3 innings.

Young used that steep arm angle to outwit the powerful Jays, who were 53-28 at home in the regular season but just 11-14 with the roof closed -- which it was Tuesday.

He held them hitless until Ryan Goins’ one-out single in the third. Donaldson drove him home with a ground-rule double down the left-field line on an 83 mph slider. Jose Bautista added an RBI grounder to close the gap to 5-2 and get those white towels twirling at Rogers Centre.

But Luke Hochevar, Ryan Madson, Kelvin Herrera and Franklin Morales shut down the Blue Jays the rest of the way.

Kansas City’s four-spot in the seventh to made it 9-2. Escobar and Hosmer had sacrifice flies to deep center, Cain singled to extend his postseason hitting streak to 13 games and Alex Gordonscored on Ryan Tepera’s wild pitch.

Cain hit a two-run single in the eighth, and Escobar drove in two off Pennington in the ninth.

Volquez pitched two-hit ball for six innings in a 5-0 win in the opener and recalled telling catcher Salvador Perez, “I feel sexy throwing down and away.” Estrada gave up three runs and six hits in 5 1/3 innings.

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Bautista Hits Blue Jays Home

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The Toronto Blue Jays clinched their first trip to the American League Championship Series since 1993, overcoming one of the most bizarre plays in playoff history when Jose Bautista hit a three-run homer after three Texas Rangers errors for a 6-3 victory Wednesday in the deciding Game 5 of the Division Series.

The Blue Jays became the third team to win a best-of-five series after losing the first two games at home. They play the winner of Game 5 between Houston and Kansas City later Wednesday. Game 1 of the ALCS is Friday night.

Bautista’s homer capped an event-filled, 53-minute seventh inning that took a turn when Toronto catcher Russell Martin’s throw back to the pitcher deflected off batter Shin-Soo Choo and allowed the tiebreaking to score.

“It’s the most emotionally charged game that I’ve ever played,” Bautista said.

The Blue Jays filed a protest after an umpire review ruled Rougned Odor was allowed to cross home plate. Toronto fans pelted the field with debris during the 18-minute delay.

The Rangers started the bottom half by making three straight errors, and Toronto rallied. Benches cleared twice in the Blue Jays’ half of the inning.

Roberto Osuna got the final five outs for his first postseason save.

Osuna turned toward the outfield after striking out Wil Venable, looked to the sky and was mobbed by his teammates as jubilant fans rocked the Rogers Centre.

After Edwin Encarnacion tied it 2-all with a second-deck drive off tough-luck loser Cole Hamels in the sixth, Odor led off the seventh with a single and went to third on a sacrifice and groundout.

With Choo up, Martin’s throw back to reliever Aaron Sanchez deflected off Choo and dribbled toward third base.

Home plate umpire Dale Scott initially ruled it a dead ball but, after Rangers manager Jeff Banister questioned the call, the umpires huddled and Odor was sent home.

“I just caught the ball and threw it back very casually and it hit his bat and then next thing you know run scores. It’s never happened in my life before,” Martin said. “It’s just one of those moments, and it created an opportunity for us to do something special.”

Fans littered the field with objects during the delay as umpires sorted out a play that is certain to rank up there with Derek Jeter’s Jeffrey Maier homer or Reggie Jackson’s hip block of a throw as one of the craziest in the postseason.

According to rule Major League Baseball rule 6.03(a)(3), the batter is not to be charged with interfering with the catcher if the batter is still in the batter’s box and doesn’t make a movement to block or disrupt the throw.

This type of play is not subject to manager’s review but Scott, the crew chief, after discussing the ruling with Blue Jays manager John Gibbons, called an umpire’s review. After a delay of 2 minutes, 32 seconds, the play stood and fans continued to throw objects on the field.

The Rangers made three consecutive errors to start the bottom half, with Martin reaching on a fielding error by Elvis Andrus to start it off.

Kevin Pillar followed with a grounder to first but Martin was safe at second on an errant throw by Mitch Moreland.

After Dalton Pompey pinch ran for Martin, Ryan Goins followed with a sacrifice bunt. Adrian Beltre fielded the ball and threw to third, but Andrus dropped the ball for his second error of the inning, loading the bases for Ben Revere.

Revere grounded into a fielder’s choice, with Moreland throwing Pompey out at the plate.

After Sam Dyson relieved Hamels, Josh Donaldson tied it at 3 with a flare just beyond the reach of Odor at second, but Revere was forced out.

Bautista followed with a towering drive into the second deck, glaring at Dyson as he stood at home plate to admire his go-ahead drive, enthusiastically flipping his bat away.

With some fans continuing to litter the field, Edwin Encarnacion turned to face the crowd and appealed for calm, lifting his bat and helmet over his head. Dyson took exception and walked over to confront Encarnacion, leading to both dugouts and both bullpens emptying.

During the scrum that was quickly dissolved, 20 Toronto police officers stood across the outfield, while others stood along the foul lines. Police later stood on the roof of the Rangers’ first base dugout before the bottom of the ninth.

Encarnacion and Chris Colabello both singled when play resumed, but the bat-around inning ended when Troy Tulowitzki fouled out. Dyson made contact with Tulowitzki as he walked off, leading to another benches-clearing confrontation, with catcher Chris Gimenez shoving Tulowitski before the scrum was broken up.

Osuna fanned Josh Hamilton and Andrus to finish the eighth, stranding runners at first and second.

Texas opened the scoring in the first when Delino DeShields scored on a fielder’s choice by Prince Fielder. Choo homered off Marcus Stroman in the third to make it 2-0.

Choo’s homer was the first for the Rangers since Odor connected off David Price in the seventh inning of Game 1.

Toronto cut the deficit in half in the third on Bautista’s two-out double.

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Blue Jays Farrell Turns Red

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The Boston Red Sox have hired John Farrell as their next manager, a source confirmed to ESPNBoston.com's Joe McDonald on Saturday night.

The sides agreed to a multiyear deal, the source told McDonald.

Farrell, Boston's former pitching coach, had one year remaining on his contract as manager of the Toronto Blue Jays.

As compensation, the Red Sox will send veteran infielder Mike Aviles to Toronto, a source told ESPNBoston.com's Gordon Edes. The source also said the Blue Jays will send a player to the Red Sox.

Red Sox spokeswoman Pam Kenn said early Sunday the team had no announcement to make. A source, however, told McDonald that an announcement is likely to be made sometime later Sunday.

The Red Sox formally interviewed four candidates -- Los Angeles Dodgers third-base coach Tim Wallach, New York Yankees bench coach Tony Pena, San Diego Padres special assistant Brad Ausmus and Baltimore Orioles third-base coach DeMarlo Hale -- to replace Bobby Valentine, but Farrell had been "at the top of their list" from the start, a team source told ESPNBoston.com earlier this month.

Farrell served as the Red Sox's pitching coach from 2007 through 2010.

The Red Sox attempted to acquire Farrell a year ago, but they weren't willing to bow to Toronto's asking price of what was rumored to be pitchers Clay Buchholz and/or Daniel Bard.

The Red Sox eventually hired Valentine, then fired him the day after finishing their worst season (69-93) in more than four decades.

The Blue Jays chose Farrell to succeed the retired Cito Gaston in October 2010, signing him to a three-year contract. Farrell led the Blue Jays to an 81-81 record in his first season, but the team was 16 games under .500 (73-89) this past season, finishing only better than the Red Sox in the AL East.

Farrell spent eight seasons pitching in the majors, winning a career-high 14 games for the Indians in 1988, before retiring after the 1996 season.

He spent five years as assistant coach/pitching and recruiting coordinator at his alma mater, Oklahoma State. He then returned to the Indians in 2001, serving as the team's player development director for five years before joining the Red Sox.

Even before the announcement, news of the deal trickled out over Twitter, where Blue Jays reliever Casey Janssen wrote: "Want to wish our skipper the best in Boston, good luck!"

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Yankees Left Feeling Toronoto Blues

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Brandon Morrow and two relievers combined on a five-hitter, pitching the Toronto Blue Jays to a 6-0 victory on Thursday night that trimmed New York's lead in the tight AL East.

Morrow (9-7) scattered four hits over seven innings, walked three and struck out three to win for the first time in five starts. Even though his fastball was a few mph slower than normal, the right-hander kept the Yankees off balance by varying his pitch selection.

"We stayed with a good mix of everything all night, tried to keep them off balance and not fall into any patterns," Morrow said.

The assortment of off-speed pitches proved to be a problem for the Yankees, held scoreless for the sixth time this season.

"It didn't seem like he was really raring back tonight," New York's Nick Swisher said of Morrow. "It felt like he was pitching. He was throwing a lot more cutters than I remember, a lot more changeups, breaking balls, things like that, rather than that flat 96 (mph). He did a good job."

Yankees catcher Russell Martin said Morrow was aggressive in the strike zone.

"Every time you're in there it feels like you're behind in the count," Martin said. "He was just getting strike one really early and mixing his pitches."

It was Morrow's longest outing since returning from the disabled list Aug. 25 after missing 65 games with a strained muscle in his left side.

"You always want to try and finish up strong," Morrow said. "It takes a little while to get back into a groove (after an injury), but I've felt good the whole time."

Brad Lincoln worked the eighth and Darren Oliver finished for the Blue Jays, who have won three of four following a seven-game losing streak.

Edwin Encarnacion had three hits and three RBIs. Brett Lawrie hit a two-run homer and J.P. Arencibia added a solo shot as the Blue Jays handed an assist to idle Baltimore, shaving New York's division lead over the Orioles to one game.

The Yankees lost for the third time in five games and wasted a chance to go two up with six to play.

"We know what's at stake right now and we've just got to go out there and keep picking up wins," Swisher said. "We've got a little six-game playoff race."

Making his third start since missing 14 games with a sore right shoulder, New York right-hander Ivan Nova (12-8) allowed four runs and six hits in 4 2/3 innings. He walked two and struck out four.

"I'm not pitching the way I want and I'm not getting the result I want, so that's not good," Nova said.

Knocked out in the third inning of his previous start, Nova has not won back-to-back outings since a five-start winning streak from May 25 to June 17. The 87 extra-base hits off him are the most yielded by any big league pitcher.

"He just hasn't had the command; that's the bottom line," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said.

Morrow got some help from his defense after Robinson Cano's one-out single in the fourth. Rookie left fielder Anthony Gose crashed into the wall to haul in a deep drive from Swisher, then threw the ball into second baseman Kelly Johnson, who doubled off Cano at first.

"(Cano) probably got a little bit too far, but it's a great play by Gose," Girardi said.

Cano doubled to begin the seventh and Swisher walked but Morrow fanned Curtis Granderson, then got Martin and Raul Ibanez to fly out.

Nova ran into trouble after walking Gose to begin the fourth. Lawrie followed with an opposite-field homer to right, his 10th of the season and first since July 22.

Gose led off with a single in the fifth, went to second on Lawrie's groundout and moved to third on a bunt single by Colby Rasmus. That brought up Encarnacion, who drove in both runners with a double into the right-field corner.

Even with the infield drawn in, New York couldn't stop Toronto from making it 5-0 against Derek Lowe in the seventh when Lawrie scored on Encarnacion's grounder to shortstop. Arencibia capped the scoring with a second-deck homer off David Aardsma in the eighth, his 18th.

Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar was greeted with a smattering of boos in his first home game since wearing eye-black with an anti-gay slur. A few fans booed when Escobar's name was announced as the lineups were read before the game. There was a mix of boos and cheers as Escobar batted in the bottom of the first, lining out on Nova's first pitch.

"The three years I've been here in Toronto, the fans have been great to me," Escobar said through a translator. "They know how hard I work and I give everything on the field. I made a mistake. I'm sorry for it."

Escobar's subsequent at-bats drew almost no reaction from the crowd of 23,060.

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Escobar Faces MLB Investigation

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Major League Baseball is investigating reports that Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Yunel Escobar played Saturday's game against Boston wearing eye black depicting a gay slur written in Spanish.

At least one photo taken by Getty Images shows Escobar wearing the eye black with the slur during Saturday's game against the Boston Red Sox.

Getty Images confirmed the photo's authenticity to ESPN.com's Keith Law.

MLB spokesman Pat Courtney confirmed to ESPN.com's Jerry Crasnick and The Associated Press the commissioner's office is looking into the reports.

"The Toronto Blue Jays do not support discrimination of any kind nor condone the message displayed by Yunel Escobar during Saturday's game," the Blue Jays said in a statement Monday night, adding the club "takes this situation seriously and is investigating the matter."

The team said Escobar will be available to the media Tuesday afternoon at Yankee Stadium along with general manager Alex Anthopoulos, manager John Farrell and coach Luis Rivera.

One of Escobar's agents declined to comment when reached by Crasnick on Monday.

Escobar, 29, played the entire game Saturday but was scratched from the lineup Sunday due to flu-like symptoms.

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