ARLINGTON, Texas -- Marco Estrada doesn't get much national attention, certainly nothing like his teammate, David Price, or Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke, Jake Arrieta, and basically everyone in the Mets' rotation. But the 32-year-old deserved it this season. And after Sunday night's season-saving start for the Toronto Blue Jays, he's certain to get it, at least from Canadians.
"He was unbelievable," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said after the team kept its season alive by beating Texas 5-1. "But I've got to tell you, especially you guys who follow us all the time, he's been doing that all year."
Toronto fans certainly know that, even if fans elsewhere don't. Estrada, who was born in Mexico but went to high school and college in California, didn't have a winning career record until this season. He also injured his ankle in spring training and didn't start a game until May. But few pitchers were harder to hit this season. Estrada held opponents to an American League-low .203 average and just .183 in the second half of the season. His .217 BABIP not only was the lowest in the majors this season, it was the lowest in the majors since 1988.
"He's been the unsung guy that nobody talks about a whole lot," third baseman Josh Donaldson said. "But he's been huge for us and he stepped for us in a big way tonight."
After losing the first two games at home -- only two teams have won a best-of-five series after doing so -- the Blue Jays needed Estrada to shut down Texas while they got their powerful lineup going. He did, holding the Rangers scoreless for six innings before leaving in the seventh. He allowed one run and five hits, walking none.
"He had it going today," catcher Dioner Navarro said. "He uses all of his pitches. Coming into the season he was a fastball/changeup guy. We started working with the curveball and cutter and he used all his pitches now. He keeps the hitters off-balance. He's just a great pitcher."
Estrada said his curveball hasn't gotten any better, he just locates it better. "And obviously I just picked up a cutter and we've been using it quite a bit," he said. "I still do have to get a little better with it, have to locate it a little more. But we used it quite a bit today. Even some four-seams were kind of cutting on me and it kind of worked out, but I have to get a little better with my cutters and keep doing what I'm doing with my curveball."
Of course, it wasn't enough just for Estrada to pitch well. The Blue Jays outscored everyone in baseball by a wide margin in the regular season but weren't very productive the first two games of the series. They started off slowly against Texas starter Martin Perez as well Sunday. They scored a run in the third and another in the fourth but should have scored far more. Instead they hit into four double plays, including two in which the runner on third base was thrown out.
The fourth double play was a 3-2-3 twin-killing with the base loaded that appeared to end another chance for the Blue Jays to break out. Instead, Troy Tulowitzki came through with a three-run homer to left off reliever Chi Chi Gonzalez that put the game away.
"It was definitely huge," Tulowitzki said. "I think in the moment I was definitely pumped up. I got back to the dugout and everybody's obviously excited to be up by five -- I believe it was a little breathing room. I think that's the goal, when you're down 2-0 in the series."
It was a big hit, not just for the Blue Jays but for Tulowitzki. He cracked his shoulder blade Sept. 12 and didn't return to action until October, playing only two games. He receives never-ending treatment for the injury and was hitless in his first 11 at-bats this series before the home run.
"Tulo needed that, he really did," Gibbons said. "He had that long layoff after the injury and it's been kind of a battle for him this year. He's had some key hits along the way but he hasn't hit like he normally does. Maybe that sets him off."
Toronto justifiably felt much better about its at-bats today, and not just because of the results.
"Today we put together good at-bats, walks, hitting the ball the other way, moving runners," Tulowitzki said. "We played just better baseball overall, so I think we learned from our mistakes, we corrected them and hats off to the guys in our clubhouse because the approach changed and we got a win because of it, and hopefully we can continue that these next two games."
Can they keep it going? On Monday afternoon, the Blue Jays will start knuckleballer R.A. Dickey, who will be making his first postseason appearance just weeks shy of his 41st birthday against the team with which he began his career. The former Cy Young Award winner was 11-11 with a 3.91 ERA this season but was 8-1 with a 2.80 ERA in the second half. His knuckleball often is better in hot weather, and the temperature is expected to be in the 90s.
"It's special for sure, and that seems like such a cliché word but it's funny how it's come full circle for me personally," Dickey said. "Having learned the knuckleball here and now potentially with a chance to take the series back to Toronto with a Game 4 start. It's poetic, is what it is for me. It's a neat narrative.''
And Toronto fans hope it will be a narrative with a happy ending like that of Estrada and Tulowitzki in Game 3, one that sends the series back to Toronto.