ARLINGTON, Texas -- After losing Game 1 to the Texas Rangers, veteran reliever LaTroy Hawkins made sure the music blared in the Toronto locker-room.
"Most clubhouses you go in, you lose a game it's like dead silence. But I (put) the music on," the 42-year-old Hawkins said prior to Game 4 Monday. "Because that's part of us, that's part of the team. That's what gets these guys going.
"They're unbelievable. I've been on a lot of teams but not on teams with this much energy. And particularly Josh Donaldson. A lot of energy."
The Blue Jays hope to harness that energy Monday facing another must-win game, trailing Texas 2-1 in the best-of-five American League Division Series. Win and the series returns to Toronto for one final showdown Wednesday at the Rogers Centre.
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre returned to the lineup Monday, after leaving Game 1 with a lower back strain.
Marco Estrada, with a strong start, and Tulo Tulowitzki, with four RBI, led Toronto from the brink of playoff extinction in a 5-1 win Sunday at Globe Life Park. Knuckleballer R.A. Dickey got the start Monday, with some high-powered help behind him.
Toronto manager John Gibbons said David Price and Marcus Stroman will be available to pitch if Dickey falters. And there may be a short leash on the knuckleballer, given the high stakes.
Price is likely to see action ahead of Stroman out of the bullpen, manager John Gibbons said.
Price warmed up during Game 3 on Sunday night but did not see action. Hawkins said the six-foot-six Price was ready.
"I asked him ... 'Are you live?' and he was like 'Damn right I'm live.' And I'm like 'All righty then, that's cool.' And then I was like 'Stro, you're live also?' And he was like 'Oh yeah. We're in it to win it.' And I'm like 'All right, let's have some fun boys."
Hawkins says the Jays have a saying: "Now we go." And it got plenty of use after Tulowitzki's three-run homer gave Toronto a 5-1 lead.
"Everyone in the bullpen was saying' Now we go.' That's what we needed to get us going."
Gibbons says the mood among the Jays is positive.
"It's a fun-loving bunch," he said. "They enjoy being around each other, which doesn't always happen. It really feels like a normal day in a 162-game season, so that's a good sign. They feel good, we had to have that win last night, we got it. Now we need this one today, let's see if we can get that one."
It will be another hot one at the ballpark, with 35 degrees Celsius forecast.
Derek Holland starts for the Rangers.
