After 159 games that have included a Yankees midseason nosedive and a Blue Jays late-season collapse, all that separates the AL East is a tiebreaker.
Three games this weekend in The Bronx and three games in Toronto will decide a division, a bye and perhaps the balance of power in the American League.
“We know we’ve got to go out and play well, execute and play good baseball,” said Giancarlo Stanton, who provided the biggest swing Thursday to ensure the Yankees kept up the pace.
The Yankees received one gift Thursday — if Chicago third baseman Curtis Mead had gloved the hot shot from Stanton, the White Sox almost certainly would have turned an inning-ending double play and preserved a two-run lead — but did not receive a second, as the Red Sox could not pull off a sweep in Toronto.
That added up to the Yankees and Blue Jays remaining knotted atop the AL East, Aaron Boone’s bunch escaping with a 5-3 victory in front of 38,545.
The fans in The Bronx are guaranteed to witness a playoff game this year. With a four-game lead on the Red Sox with three to go, the worst the Yankees can finish is as the top wild card, which ensures the Stadium will host October games.
“Great,” Boone said, “but that’s not the world we’re living in right now.”
The Yankees (91-68) have larger aspirations and three games left against the Orioles to break a tie with the Blue Jays, who host the Rays.
The Blue Jays, who won eight of the 13 head-to-head matchups, hold the tiebreaker. The Yankees, who have won five straight and eight of nine, hold the momentum.
The Orioles, who will be throwing Trevor Rogers (1.35 ERA), Tomoyki Sugano (4.54 ERA) and Kyle Bradish (2.25 ERA), could very well hold a grudge against a division rival.
“All guys that can shut you down,” Boone said of the Orioles’ trio of starters.
“The bats they have are impressive,” said Carlos Rodón, who ended an excellent season with win No. 18.
Twice there was doubt Thursday whether the Yankees would continue applying pressure on Toronto. They did so because the White Sox’s defense cracked while the Yankees’ did not.
The game turned in the bottom of the fifth, which began with the Yankees down, 3-1. Singles from Aaron Judge and Cody Bellinger knocked Chicago starter Davis Martin from the game, and Tyler Gilbert entered.
With one out, the lefty walked Ben Rice to load the bases for Stanton, who crushed a two-hopper directly at Mead. The third baseman tried to play it on a backhand and was eaten up by the 109-mph, bouncing bullet, olé-ing the ball into left field for what was ruled a bases-clearing double that put the Yankees in front.
“He’s such a presence,” Boone said of Stanton, who has driven in 59 runs this season in just 239 at-bats and is hitting .300 with runners in scoring position.
They remained in front because of a quietly excellent play from Bellinger in the eighth. With the Yankees up by two, Devin Williams put a pair of White Sox batters on base and watched Miguel Vargas crush a drive to left.
Bellinger got a good jump, sprinted back and to his left, lifted his glove and made the nice, frame-ending catch on the run.
“He smokes that ball, and Belli’s all over it,” Boone said. “Right route, right read, right jump, right footwork, runs it down.”
An RBI double from Austin Wells in the seventh had provided insurance, and three scoreless innings from Luke Weaver, Williams and David Bednar (ninth save in pinstripes) secured a game that will not be remembered fondly by Yankees hitters, who went 2-for-13 with runners in scoring position.
It did not matter because Stanton’s ball got through the infield, the bullpen was excellent, Bellinger solid and Rodón competent.
In his 33rd and final start of the season, Rodón did not have his best stuff yet still grinded through six innings in which he allowed three runs on four hits and a walk with five strikeouts, including his 200th of the season.
Next up: Will Warren, Cam Schlittler and Luis Gil with a division on the line.
“Bye’s always good,” Stanton said. “We’ve got guys that are beat up, guys that need a rest. A little mental break [with] how those heavy those games can get.”
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