Facing the most hostile crowd in baseball, with flagging momentum and without a bonafide starting pitcher, the Toronto Blue Jays won their first playoff series in a decade on Wednesday night.

The night’s heroes were all the guys you don’t hear much about. The middle relievers, platoon outfielders and shortstops

Eight Jays pitchers combined to limit the Yankees to two runs. Sometime corner outfielder Nathan Lukes had the hit that turned a close one into a chase situation. Despite threatening late, the Yankees weren’t able to catch up this time.

The game ended 5-2. Toronto will start the American League Championship Series at home on Sunday, against either the Detroit Tigers or the Seattle Mariners. That series will be decided on Friday.

After dominating in Toronto, all the omens turned against the Jays once they’d crossed the border. They blew a five-run lead on Tuesday. In the process, they activated baseball’s best hitter, Aaron Judge.

Going into Wednesday’s game, little seemed in their favour. The Yankees were starting their newest hero, 22-year-old Max Schlittler. In his last outing, Schlittler had put up one of the great pitching performances in baseball playoff history. Toronto countered with the guy who usually comes out for the sixth or seventh inning and then calls it a day.