Toronto Blue Jays: 5 key things to watch for in Game 5

A win keeps their World Series dream alive. A loss and the season is over. Today, the Toronto Blue Jays play the biggest game of the season at the Rogers Centre: Game 5 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers.

• Blue Jays fans celebrate Game 4 on Twitter
• 1935 Toronto baseball 'treasure' unearthed
• Stroman's dad on Blue Jays playoff push

Here are five crucial storylines to watch in Game 5:

Marcus Stroman

"Nobody's ever nervous. Nobody panics. We all know what we're capable of."

That's what Marcus Stroman, the 24-year-old Blue Jays ace who only returned to the team in September after recovering from a torn knee ligament, told CBC News about his team before the series with Texas.

You know what happened next. The Jays dropped the first two home games, many fans declared the season over. Then the Blue Jays rolled into Texas and smashed home runs for two straight games, drawing even in the series.

Now, in Game 5, Stroman gets the start with the Blue Jays season on the line.

Stroman, who pitched seven innings and struck out five Rangers in his playoff debut in Game 2, has won the praise of his manager, John Gibbons, for being able to pitch in high-pressure situations. But his ability to "lock in," as he puts it, will certainly be tested in Game 5.

Cole Hamels

The Texas Rangers, meanwhile, will counter Stroman with a pretty good pitcher of their own.

Cole Hamels, who faced Stroman in Game 2, will start for the Rangers. He's only 13-8 this season with a 3.65 earned run average, but Hamels is also one of baseball's elite pitchers. He was the World Series MVP with the Phillies in 2008 and pitched seven innings against the Jays in Game 2.

Surprisingly, Yovani Gallardo, who has beaten the Blue Jays three times this season (including Game 1 at the Rogers Centre), didn't get the chance to pitch. Perhaps the right-hander will come out of the bullpen if Hamels gets in trouble early.

Scoring 1st

Nothing would make Blue Jays fans happier than to see their team jump out to an early lead, like they did in Game 4. There's a good reason for that.

The team that's scored first has won every game of this series.  

This series has also featured a kind of home-field disadvantage, with both teams losing games in their own ballpark — a trend the Jays are hoping to end.

Fans need to stay loud

The Rogers Centre was rocking during the first two games of the series, with more than 49,000 in attendance for both games. But whenever the Rangers scored, the stadium quickly quieted down.

It's hard to blame Jays fans, who haven't seen playoff baseball since 1993, for losing faith in the team, even after such a remarkable regular season.

But keeping the energy up — especially as the game is played under a closed dome — could help the team.

What Blue Jays team shows up?

They've got all the tools that they need- Kelly Gruber, World Series-winning former Blue Jay

The Blue Jays team that dropped the first two games looked like the team that had played .500-baseball for the first chunk of the season. A good team, with a maddening inability to squeak out wins.

The Blue Jays team that outscored the Rangers 13-5 this weekend, thumping four home runs in the process, is the team fans have fallen in love with. A great team that looks almost impossible to get out.

The Jays will need to be the latter version of themselves if they want to advance, and at least one former Blue Jay — World Series-winning third baseman Kelly Gruber — thinks they can do it.

"They've got all the tools that they need," Gruber said in an interview with CBC Radio's As It Happens.

"They should be able to do it."