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Blue Jays loss sparks Canadian conspiracy theory

By Steve Keating TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Blue Jays dropped a 14 inning, 6-4 heartbreaker to the Texas Rangers on Friday and head to Arlington with fans floating conspiracy theories over Major League Baseball covert plans to keep the Canadian franchise out of the World Series. The euphoria of returning to the playoffs after a 22-year absence fizzled quickly with two losses in 24 hours to leave the Blue Jays trailing the best-of-five Division Series 2-0 and on the brink of elimination. The Rangers can advance to the American League Championship Series with a win in Arlington on Sunday. Game Four, if necessary, is scheduled for Monday. A wild contest, that included a 13th inning dugout clearing stare down, was decided when Texas staged a two out rally in the 14th with Hanser Alberto, filling in for injured Adrian Beltre, and Delino DeShields driving in runs. "It won't be easy," said Toronto manager John Gibbons looking ahead to the trip to Texas. "They've got a great team over there, they out played us both games. "They outlasted us, they can keep coming. Very balanced. "That's usually the way those games end up when the pitching is that good. "It comes down to the very end and a lot of times you get down to your last bullet." The festive atmosphere that greeted the home team for Game One was toned down several notches for a Friday matinee that had a do-or-die vibe. Historically in the majors, the winner of the Division Series opener subsequently wins a best-of-five series 73 percent of the time, so there was reason for the jittery urgency as giddy anticipation gave way to hand-wringing and angst. There was some upbeat news for the Blue Jays before the first pitch with the team's two best players sluggers Josh Donaldson and Jose Bautista on the lineup card after leaving Game One with injuries. Bautista, forced out in the ninth inning with cramps, was back patrolling his outfield post while Donaldson, a leading American League most valuable player candidate, showed no lingering effects from taking a knee to the head slamming a first inning solo home run on Thursday. As the contest deadlocked at 4-4 and moved into extra innings, tension mounted in the capacity crowd of close to 50,000. Many grew increasingly grumpy as a couple of challenges went against the home side, including a crucial call in the 14th when Rougned Odor was called safe after appearing to overrun the bag and tagged as his foot left the bag. Odor was called safe and would go on to register the go-ahead run on Alberto's single to right-center. Seconds after Ross Ohlendorf struck out Kevin Pillar to clinch the win, Twitter and social media was lit up by angry Canadian fans over what they viewed as a deliberate attempt to keep Blue Jays out of the Fall Classic. "We felt like he was on the bag, obviously the call stood so that is part of the game," shrugged Rangers manager Jeff Banister. "If it goes the other way, we live with it and move on." Gibbons also refused to bite on complaints of a changing strike zone and close calls, dismissing it as part of the game. "I don't get into that," said Gibbons. "There was complaining on both sides but that's behind us." (Editing by Andrew Both)