Jays and Tribe split series as Toronto clinches AL East

Series Overview: Toronto needed a split to clinch the AL East title. Cleveland needed at least a split to secure a spot in a play in playoff game the day after the regular season ended.

GAME 1: After scoring 2 runs in the top of the 9th the Blue Jays carried a 3 run lead into the bottom of the frame with only 3 outs left to win. Starters Doyle Alexander and Dennis "El Presidente'" Martinez were both gone. Alexander yielded 6 runs and Martinez 7. Both teams had their hitting shoes on. The top of the 9th saw George Bell single after Rance Mulliniks k'd. Bell stole second and this looked to rattle reliever Paul Shuey who yielded a 2 run shot to Willie Upshaw. Toronto thought they had the game in the bag & why wouldn't they ? Toronto's strategy was simple: have Gary Lavelle start the inning and pitch to all the lefties in Cleveland's lineup. Omar Vizquel led off with a single. Lofton and Franco both hit grounders back to the box that Lavelle fielded cleanly but his errant throws pulled Will Upshaw of 1st. With nobody out and the bases jammed Jim Thome stepped up to the plate. Tom Henke was now vigorously warming in the pen, but the plan was to have Lavelle face Thome who has trouble hitting lefthanders. 2 pitches later Thome deposited a Lavelle slider into the right center field bleachers for a walk off Grand Slam homer. The Blue Jays were stunned, but the fans a "the Jake" almost brought the house down.

GAME 2: Call game 2 the Dave Steib show. In a must win situation Steib showed himself to be a true ace as he went out and tossed a 4 hit complete game shutout against Cleveland's formidable lineup. Toronto's bats were hot as they shelled Orel Hershiser and the rest of the Indian staff for 8 runs to even the series at one game apiece.

GAME 3: This one qualifies as a classic. Starters Charles Nagy and Jimmy Key hooked up in a classic pitcher's duel. Neither got the decision. Down 2-1 in the 8th Toronto rallied to tie the game up at 2 as Shuey walked Blue Jay catcher Ernie Whitt with the bases loaded to tie it up. that's how it stayed until the 10th when Carlos Baerga led off with a double and scored as Alvaro Espinosa attempted to bunt him over to third, but catcher Ernie Whitt threw the ball into left field. Jose Mesa came on to save it in the bottom of the 10th.

GAME 4: Chad Ogea and Jim "don't call me Tom" Clancy were two unlikely candidates to hook up in a pitcher's duel, but that's exactly what happened. Ogea gave up only 2 runs in almost 8 innings of work, but that was not enough to garner a win as Clancy (4-1) only yielded one. Bill Caudill, Gary Lavelle and Tom Henke came on in relief and held off the Indians who were not about to go quietly. Toronto opened the scoring as George Bell hit a solo shot to lead off the 2nd. They added another run in the bottom of the 7th as Bell knocked in Damaso Garcia with a sac fly. Cleveland cut the lead in half in the 8th as Julio Franco singled home Omar Vizquel. Caudhil and Lavelle struck out Jim Thome and Jeromy Burnitz to escape the threat. Lavelle and Tom Henke finished out the 9th to ensure the victory and the series split.