Blue Jays walk off to close in on Wild Card spot

TORONTO — Edwin Encarnacion hit a walk-off RBI single in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Blue Jays rallied late to steal a crucial 4-3 victory against the Yankees on Sunday at Rogers Centre.

Toronto maintained a 1 1/2-game lead over Baltimore for the top American League Wild Card spot, while the Yankees dropped 5 1/2 games behind the Orioles with seven games remaining.

Toronto entered the ninth trailing by one, but quickly found a way to rally against Yankees closer Dellin Betances and reliever Tyler Clippard. The late-inning heroics saddled the Yankees with their eighth consecutive loss at Rogers Centre for the first time in franchise history, and dealt yet another blow to New York’s postseason aspirations.

The Blue Jays’ rally began with a leadoff walk by Melvin Upton Jr. Later in the inning, Toronto scored the tying run on a perfectly executed safety squeeze. With runners on the corners and nobody out, Ezequiel Carrera laid down a slow rolling bunt up the first-base line. By the time Clippard got to the ball it was too late, and Upton scored to even the game at 3.

New York had rallied in the ninth off Blue Jays closer Roberto Osuna, with an RBI single by Mason Williams and a sacrifice fly by Ronald Torreyes.

New York starter Michael Pineda picked up a no-decision after he limited Toronto’s offense to one run on three hits and three hits while walking seven over 5 2/3 innings. Blue Jays starter Marco Estrada also came away with …

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