TORONTO - The Toronto Blue Jays can feel the excitement in the stands and in the streets.

Toronto is set to hit new highs in secondary market ticket sales for the season as the New York Yankees visit this weekend, and the Blue Jays are excited to have all the added attention.

"I think I've fist bumped more strangers than I've ever fist bumped in my life," said pitcher R.A. Dickey before Thursday's game with the Oakland Athletics. "Today I walked down from Air Canada Centre to Rogers Centre and I think I fist bumped four people this morning on the way to work that I'd never seen before in my life.

"That kind of stuff is happening more and more."

Thursday afternoon's 4-2 win over the Athletics drew 46,902 fans, the team's seventh full house of the season. Even still, the secondary market for tickets for the crucial weekend series with the Yankees has seen prices continue to climb.

According to SeatGeek.com, a website that aggregates prices from other ticket resale brokers, all three games of the weekend series are more expensive than any other Blue Jays home game this season.

Ticket sales on the secondary market have climbed in the past seven days as Toronto has reeled off 11 straight wins and taken over first place from New York in the American League East. The average cost to see Toronto ace David Price start against the Yankees on Friday climbed to $91 over the past week. The average price is $103 for Saturday's game and $87 for Sunday.

Two weeks ago a ticket for Friday's game in the upper bowl at Rogers Centre overlooking the outfield cost $13. That same ticket has now climbed to $56, meaning just to get in to the stadium the price has more than quadrupled since the beginning of August. The lowest price isn't any cheaper on Saturday ($60) or Sunday ($58).

"That comes with winning," said Dickey. "People enjoy winning teams. Hopefully we can give these guys a good ride."

Previously the Blue Jays' most expensive home game of the season was Price's first start with Toronto on Aug. 3, when the average resale price was $60 a ticket.

"I can definitely tell there's a buzz," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "We're noticing the crowds we've had, of course. I get some comments on the street too."

"Good comments," he added with a laugh.

SeatGeek.com estimates that $1.4 million has been spent on the secondary market for the three Yankees games combined.

"In the sports business that's how organizations make their living, with full houses," said Gibbons. "So everyone's feeling good right now."

Even though the Blue Jays have seen a swell of support since mid-July, the series average resale price of $71 is still below the average resale price of any Toronto Maple Leafs home game last year. However, the average ticket for a game to this weekend's series is more expensive than 20 of the Toronto Raptors home games last season.

"It makes a world of difference when you're playing, y'know?" said Gibbons. "Smaller crowds, you hear everything. You hear all the cheap shots. You get a big crowd and it's all kind of muffled. It's more like a roar.

"Players thrive on that, no question about it."

___

Follow @jchidleyhill on Twitter