The Blue Jays saved their biggest comeback win to send them to the World Series

Traffic wasn’t an issue for the Blue Jays, as they had men reach base in three consecutive innings in the third, fourth and fifth innings, but could not capitalize on the opportunities. It started looking like a very similar situation to Game 1 of the ALCS when the Mariners put a stranglehold on the Blue Jays midway through the game and didn’t let up.

Now holding a lead by the fifth inning, M’s manager Dan Wilson could start deploying the nuclear weapons out of his bullpen like Bryan Woo, Eduard Bazardo, Matt Brash, Gabe Speier and Andres Munoz. The Mariners could start counting outs, while the Blue Jays had to count opportunities left.

But that set the stage for the biggest comeback of the season for the Blue Jays. Addison Barger walks to start the bottom of the seventh. Isiah Kiner-Falefa hits a soft single up the middle, then Andres Gimenez advances both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt. Up comes Mr. October: George Springer. At this point, it was clear Springer wasn’t 100 per cent healthy. Hell, who is at this point in the season? After taking a 96 MPH pitch off his leg in Game 5 of the ALCS, Springer was doing his best to contribute in a big spot, because nobody wants to sit out the biggest games of the season.

It’s a bit of an apples-to-oranges comparison, but Springer had his Kirk Gibson moment. After a pitch inside by Bazardo, Springer attacked a sinker that was middle in and deposited it into the left field seats. Just like that, the Blue Jays were back from the dead. Not just back in the game, but now leading.

I never believed I’d see a bigger Blue Jays home run than Jose Bautista’s go-ahead home run in Game 5 of the 2015 ALDS. Given the 22 years of pent-up frustration by the fan base, the chicanery that had happened at the top of the seventh inning, Bautista’s home run felt like letting go of a pressure valve that wasn’t just building all game, but for two-plus decades.

But Springer’s home run was different. It didn’t seem like there was a buildup. The Blue Jays were on life support, and Springer’s bat saved the Blue Jays from another supreme moment of heartache in the annals of Toronto sports. Now it’s one of the most important hits in Blue Jays history.

Springer’s trot around the bases in the seventh inning is the new bat flip home run and Edwin Encarnacion’s Wild Card walk-off all rolled into one. It’s a “where were you?” moment that will live on forever. In ten years, people will describe that game, and it will still give them goosebumps.

There will be baseball cards of that home run. YouTube and social videos of that play will rack up millions upon millions of views. Kids will recreate that at-bat on the sandlot. Springer will be immortalized in Toronto.

For those who were also fortunate enough to witness the 1992 and 1993 Blue Jays teams, this is what it feels like to know your team can win it all. This is what it’s like to know you’re the best in the American League. This is what it’s like to win a pennant. It feels good, doesn’t it?

As the Blue Jays players will tell you, the job’s not finished and there are still four more wins that stand between them and a World Series championship. But for now, they can relish this accomplishment. It’s been 32 years coming to bring a World Series back to Toronto. They deserve to celebrate, and so do you.

Rest up for Friday, because if this seven-game American League Championship Series was any indication, Blue Jays fans are going to need their stamina to weather the World Series. October baseball lives on in Toronto.