Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) celebrates with right fielder Jose Bautista after defeating the Texas Rangers in game three of the ALDS at Globe Life Park in Arlington.Tim Heitman
Marco Estrada has gone about his work this season in a quiet, efficient manner, pitching his way to what arguably was the quietest 13-win season in Toronto Blue Jays history.
With a fastball that rarely clocks in at above 90 miles an hour, the right-hander relies more on guts and guile to get the job done.
Sunday night in steamy Globe Life Park, Estrada delivered his most impressive body of work yet and, in the process, handed the Blue Jays a new lease on life.
With Estrada's steady hand on the tiller, the Blue Jays staved off elimination in the American League Division Series with an efficient 5-1 dismantling of the Texas Rangers.
Troy Tulowitzki broke open a tight ball game in the sixth inning, in which Toronto carried a 2-0 lead when he drilled a 3-2 pitch from Texas reliever Chi Chi Gonzalez over the left-field wall.
It was a three-run shot and provided some much-needed breathing room to the Blue Jays, who had squandered several excellent scoring chances earlier, allowing the Rangers to hang around.
Texas's lead in the best-of-five series is 2-1 with the fourth game here on Monday afternoon with R.A. Dickey slated to make his first career postseason start for Toronto against Texas left-hander Derek Holland.
With Toronto's season on the line, Estrada's performance was sublime, painting the corners with confounding consistency that the Rangers had no answer for.
Although Estrada hardly carries the same cachet as David Price or Marcus Stroman, two of Toronto's other starting pitchers, Toronto manager John Gibbons has immense faith in the 32-year-old.
"He's been so big for us this year, and we need to be confident; this is our last straw right here," Gibbons said before the game. "I expect he's going to go out there and have a heck of a ball game.
"He's done it all year."
Through the first six innings the Blue Jays hit into four double plays, twice with the bases loaded, that prevented any runs from scoring.
The fourth time came in the Toronto sixth when Chris Colabello came up with the bases full and none out.
Colabello stroked a grounder to Mitch Moreland, the Rangers first baseman, who came home to force out Josh Donaldson, steaming in from third. Texas catcher Robinson Chirinos then fired the ball back to Moreland at first to get Colabello.
The elation in Globe Life Park was short lived, however, when Tulowitzki then stepped into the batter's box and delivered his big blow.
In the blistering heat, Estrada remained cool in his first playoff start, limiting the Rangers to one run off five hits over 6 1/3 innings to go with four strikeouts and no walks.
Game-time temperature was just a shade under 35 C. but that did not slow Estrada any as he got through the first eight batters in the Texas order before allowing a hit.
The Blue Jays went into Sunday's game a desperate team.
Heavily favoured entering the series after making the playoffs for the first time in 22 years, the Blue Jays took it on the chin from the Rangers in the first two games in Toronto, losing both to send them into Arlington in must-win mode.
Desperate times call for desperate measures and the Blue Jays are considering all their options in order to try to extend the series, even using Price out of the bullpen if required.
"You could have anyone coming out of the bullpen because you have to win," Gibbons said. "We've done it before, he's on board. So we'll see how it plays out."
Toronto broke through in the third when catcher Dioner Navarro stroked the game's first hit, a lead-off double that sailed over the head of Delino DeShields in centre field and one-hopped the wall.
Kevin Pillar then singled, moving Navarro to third. Navarro scored to give Toronto a 1-0 lead when Ryan Goins hit into a double play.
Perez's slide continued into the fourth that began with a lead-off double by Donaldson.
Donaldson tagged up and went to third on a fly out by Jose Bautista.
Rather than take their chances with the big bat of Edwin Encarnacion, the Rangers opted to intentionally walk the Toronto hitter to set up a double-play opportunity with Colabello on deck. But the move backfired when Perez started struggling with his control, issuing a four-pitch walk to Colabello that loaded the bases.
Perez then walked Tulowitzki on five pitches that forced in the second Toronto run.
Perez righted things after that, but just barely, Navarro worked the count to 3-2 before hitting into an inning ending double play.