Blue Jays' Grilli: 'We may as well make history'
Jason Grilli isn't a fan of letting chances - no matter how slim - go to waste.
After helping his Toronto Blue Jays secure a 5-1 win in Game 4 to stay alive in the American League Championship Series against the Cleveland Indians, the exuberant 39-year-old reliever told reporters the logical next step is rewriting the record books.
"If we're in this position we may as well make history," Grilli said postgame Tuesday, according to Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith.
Despite Grilli craving a comeback, the Blue Jays - down 3-1 in the series - have a long way to go.
In 34 instances of 3-0 series leads in the MLB postseason, only one team has clawed back to force a Game 7: the 2004 Boston Red Sox, who defeated the New York Yankees in the ALCS before winning the World Series. Coincidentally, that Boston squad was managed by current Cleveland skipper Terry Francona.
Recent history does provide a much more positive outlook for Grilli and the Blue Jays, however, as Toronto's Game 5 win made them the first team since that fabled Red Sox side to not be swept after going down 3-0 in a League Championship Series.
Toronto will hope to prolong its season by at least one more day when it hosts the Indians for Game 5 on Wednesday. Marco Estrada will take the mound for the Blue Jays, while rookie Ryan Merritt gets the nod for Cleveland.