Could Atlanta finally beat Toronto in a World Series after losing in 1992 and last season? Or would the Jays repeat as back-to-back champs, taking out 107-win Houston and 105-win Atlanta on the way?
This set up the series for a Game 7, and followed the pattern of Toronto's comeback in the ALCS where they came back from 3-1 down to beat the Rays. And it turned out to be one of the greatest Games 7 in MLB history:
The Jays looked like they had this one in the bag, leading 4-1 for most of the game going into the bottom of the 9th. But Atlanta loaded the bases with two out and Bryan Reynolds, who was named series MVP, cleared them with a double to the LCF gap and sent us to extra innings. Atlanta had a chance with the bases loaded in the 12th but couldn't score and then Toronto finally got to Will Bednar, who was running on fumes by the 14th, on a 2-run Bo Bichette double so it looked like a championship delayed but not denied for the Jays. But in the bottom of the 14th Atlanta put a couple of men on and long-time team fixture Austin Riley stepped out and drilled a 3-run walk-off homer, the first in a WS Game 7 since Bill Mazeroski in 1960, and the championship went to the 404 area code for the first time in nine years.