Blue Jays sweep Yankees, within 1½ games of first in AL East

Joe Lemire | Special for USA TODAY Sports

NEW YORK -- After Friday night's Toronto Blue Jays-New York Yankees series opener in the Bronx, one car of a downtown No.4 subway train to Manhattan carried a majority of Toronto fans, who loudly congratulated each other upon entrance. There was a conviviality among those clad in royal blue while, uncharacteristically, the pinstriped locals slunk quietly in their seats.

The scene was prophetic — and unfamiliar. As recently as July 2014, the Blue Jays had lost 17 straight games at Yankee Stadium. Less than an hour earlier on Friday night, however, Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista had slugged a game-winning home run in the 10th inning to pull the Blue Jays as close to the division-leading Yankees as they had been in four weeks and then talked about "making a statement."

"I don't think they feel good right now going home," Bautista said.

By the ninth inning Sunday, the visiting vocal minority chanted "Let's go Blue Jays" loud enough to be heard on the television broadcast and for good reason, as Toronto swept the Yankees to lengthen their winning streak to eight games and shorten New York's hold on first place to 1½ games. The Blue Jays — propelled by a pair of blockbuster deadline trades — are brimming with swagger, not to mention a +129 run differential, the best in baseball.

"We're a very confident group," said left-handed starter David Price, who was one of the major trade acquisitions. "This group does not lack confidence. And that's what you have to have."

Blue Jays pitchers allowed just one run in 28 innings; the games Saturday and Sunday were the first time the Yankees had been shutout in back-to-back games since 1999, which had been the longest such streak in baseball history. Toronto's lineup slugged six home runs, including two each from Bautista and third baseman Josh Donaldson.

Toronto manager Gibbons called the series "the most meaningful" the Blue Jays had played in the Bronx for two decades — hardly hyperbole for a franchise that hasn't made the postseason since its back-to-back World Series titles in 1992 and 1993. In only one of those interceding years did they even finish fewer than 10 games back of the AL East winner.

Toronto was in fourth place and eight games back July 28, which was also the day the club traded for Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and reliever LaTroy Hawkins.

"We're still gunning for the division," Gibbons said.

The Blue Jays have won each of Tulowitzki's first 11 starts, losing only his day off. ("I learned a lesson," Gibbons quipped. "I'm a quick learner.") In those starts, Tulowitzki has slugged three homers and scored 12 runs. Price won each of his first two starts, including Saturday when he hurled seven shutout innings. Hawkins has thrown five scoreless innings in his new uniform.

Some of the players praised general manager Alex Anthopolous for capitalizing on this summer's opportunity and the vulnerability in the American League.

"This time last year we were in good shape but we felt like we were descending," said starter R.A. Dickey, who allowed one run in seven innings on Friday. "Now we're not even in as good a shape as we might have been then, and we feel like we're ascending."

Toronto was a mere 1 1/2 games out of first at the 2014 trade deadline but then lost six of its next eight series and, a month later, was 10 1/2 out.

Suddenly, trips to New York have transformed from inhospitable struggles to welcome opportunities. This weekend began Toronto's 52-game stretch run, of which a full quarter (13) would be played against New York. The Blue Jays host the Yankees for three games next weekend; return to the Bronx for four games in mid-September; and then receive another Yankees visit for three in late September.

At this rate, the Blue Jays may yet pry the AL East away from the Yankees. Should they fall short, Toronto can likely fall back on a wild card berth. The Blue Jays swept the Minnesota Twins to overtake them for the second wild card spot and then kept winning to surge past the Los Angeles Angels for the first wild-card position.

An already dynamic offense — a majors-leading 597 runs scored, which is on pace for baseball's most since 2011 — was bolstered further by the addition of Tulowitzki, who has moved into the leadoff spot, typically batting ahead of Donaldson, Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion, a barrage of right-handed power. Those four have mashed a total of 93 home runs this year. Donaldson alone has hit seven in his last 11 games.

Add in catcher Russell Martin, who usually often bats sixth, and the Blue Jays have five righty bats who have already hit 15 or more home runs.

"Everybody knows what our offense is capable of doing," Bautista said.

But what the casual observer may not have realized is just how well the Blue Jays have pitched in the second half. Early on, Dickey admitted that pitchers just needed to "hang on" and wait "for the bomb to drop" — the offensive support would inevitably come.

Now, it's appreciated but less necessary. The rotation's season statistics continue to be weighed down by a poor first half, in which they collectively had a 4.46 ERA. Since the All-Star break, however, the Blue Jays' starters have a 2.69 ERA, the AL's best mark. Price's dominant outings account for just two of those 22 starts. Dickey (0.99 ERA), Marco Estrada (2.35) and Mark Buehrle (3.38) are a combined 9-1.

"I think it's amazing what you can accomplish when you don't care who gets the credit," Dickey said.

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