Blue Jays closer to securing AL's top wild-card spot, home-field advantage

Whit Merrifield has never played in Major League Baseball's post-season but as the playoffs approach for the Toronto Blue Jays he knows one thing: his team is eager to get started.

Teoscar Hernandez had two home runs, one a solo shot and the other a two-run blast, to help Toronto down the Boston Red Sox 6-3 on Sunday. Merrifield also had a solo home run and added an RBI single as the Blue Jays closed in on home-field advantage in the first round of the American League's post-season having clinched a berth on Thursday.

"Guys are hungry not just to get to the playoffs but to make a run. We have the guys to do it. We have the talent to do it," said Merrifield, who has a .382 batting average in his past 10 games. "Just a matter of getting hot at the right time and put things together and being sound in all facets of the game when Friday comes."

The Blue Jays kick off a three-game series in Baltimore on Monday to finish off the regular season.

If Toronto can stay ahead of the Seattle Mariners in the wild-card standings it will host all three games of its AL wild-card series starting Friday. If the Mariners catch them, the Blue Jays would be on the road.

"You've got to have like seven suitcases packed," joked Toronto interim manager John Schneider. "But we're ready to deal with it however it shakes out. I'm just excited that we're in this position."

Ready for the road. <br><br>See you soon, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BlueJays?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BlueJays</a> fans