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Sports

Blue Jays Punch Ticket to ALCS with Wild Game 5 Win over Rangers

The Blue Jays advanced to the ALCS with a 6-3 win over Texas in one of the most dramatic games in franchise history.

Rogers Centre was a sight to behold for Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

In a game that featured a little bit of everything, the Blue Jays stormed from behind to defeat the Texas Rangers, 6-3, in an epic do-or-die contest to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 1993.

Toronto's first postseason series victory in 22 years was an emotional roller coaster that ended with the youngest player in the majors recording a strikeout in front of close to 50,000 jubilant fans. The seventh inning alone produced some of the most bizarre and dramatic moments of the postseason, highlighted by a mammoth three-run homer from Jose Bautista that put the Blue Jays ahead of the Rangers for good.

The dugouts cleared twice. There were epic bat flips. The game was played under protest. A confusing play helped Texas snap a tie game in the top half of the seventh when Russell Martin, who was attempting to throw the ball back to the pitcher, hit Shin-Soo Choo's bat. The ball deflected off the bat and rolled down the third-base line, allowing Rougned Odor to score and leading to Blue Jays fans littering the field with beer cans. Then the Rangers had a defensive meltdown in the bottom half of the frame before Joey Bats made them pay by launching one of the most significant home runs in franchise history.

After losing two straight at home to fall down 2-0 in the series, the Blue Jays won twice in Arlington before taking the winner-take-all game at an electric Rogers Centre. In a rematch of 30 years ago, the Blue Jays will face the Royals in the ALCS, which begins Friday night in Kansas City.