The Latest:
- Kevin Gausman retires the side in the bottom of the third, striking out Mariners sluggers Jorge Polanco and Cal Raleigh, while Julio Rodríguez pops up to right field for an easy catch by Addison Barger.
- Gausman, who got the start in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), is back at work for the Jays tonight.
- The best-of-seven playoff series is now even at two games apiece. Game 6 goes in Toronto on Sunday, Oct. 19 at 8:03 p.m. ET.
The Mariners have taken an early lead 1-0 over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS), after Eugenio Suárez hit a solo home run off Toronto’s Kevin Gausman in the bottom of the second inning at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park on Friday night.
The game had been scoreless through the first inning — though both teams got a base runner aboard early in the game.
The Blue Jays failed to score in the first inning, after Seattle starter Bryce Miller gave up a two-out double to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., but evaded further trouble by striking out Alejandro Kirk to get a third out.
The Mariners’ Cal Raleigh hit a double with one out in the bottom of the first, but none of his teammates could bring him home.
Toronto and Seattle have each won two games in the best-of-seven ALCS, and the team that wins Friday’s game will be well-placed to move on to the World Series.
Gausman — who put in a strong performance starting Game 1 — is aiming to nail down a third straight Jays victory on Friday evening.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said all members of his bullpen are available to jump into action if Gausman runs into any trouble.
“We’re in a good spot,” he said ahead of the game. “Everyone’s available today.”
Seattle will send Bryce Miller to the mound, as the Mariners try to right the ship.
Jays’ bats come alive
Momentum has moved in Toronto’s favour over the past two games, as the Blue Jays’ offence helped reverse Seattle’s two-game lead in the ALCS. Sharp pitching from two veteran starters — Shane Bieber and Max Scherzer — and solid backup from the bullpen was also key.
Toronto racked up 29 hits in the past two games, outscoring Seattle 21-6 over that same stretch.
The Jays beat Seattle by a score of 8-2 in Thursday’s Game 4, powered by a feisty Scherzer. The 41-year-old pitched his first playoff game in a Blue Jays uniform.
Toronto’s Game 3 victory was a bit more lopsided Wednesday night, when they won 13-4 over Seattle.
Seattle won the first two ALCS games at Toronto’s Rogers Centre — 3-1 in Game 1, and 10-3 in Game 2.
Before Friday’s game, Mariners manager Dan Wilson said the Jays had been able to take advantage of Seattle’s mixed bag of pitching.
“They’ve been able to put together a more consistent approach than they were able to do during the first couple games of the series,” Wilson said Friday afternoon.
Back to Toronto
The Blue Jays’ Game 4 victory means both teams will head back to Toronto for a Game 6 in the ALCS on Sunday night.
If Game 7 is necessary, it will be played Monday, also at Rogers Centre.
The winner of the ALCS will advance to the World Series — a stage Toronto last reached in the ’90s. Seattle, meanwhile, has never been part of the Fall Classic.
The team that goes to the World Series will play the winner of the National League Championship Series (NLCS) — either the Los Angeles Dodgers or the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Dodgers — the winners of two of the past five World Series — are leading the best-of-seven NLCS 3-0 ahead of their own Friday night game with the Brewers.
The Toronto Blue Jays combined hot bats and solid pitching to secure a critical 8-2 win over the Seattle Mariners in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, tying up the best-of-seven series at two games apiece.
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