Blue Jays eliminated from wild card series by Mariners in 10-9 game
Global News
The visiting Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 10-9 to win their best-of-three American League wild-card playoff series in two straight games.
The Seattle Mariners came back from a seven-run deficit and beat Toronto 10-9 in a wild Game 2 on Saturday to eliminate the Blue Jays from the post-season.
Cal Raleigh doubled off Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano in the ninth inning and scored the go-ahead run when Adam Frazier lashed a two-out double into the right-field corner.
George Kirby earned the save as Seattle completed a sweep of the best-of-three wild-card series in front of a stunned sellout crowd at Rogers Centre.
Teoscar Hernandez hit two homers to help power the Blue Jays to an 8-1 lead after five innings. But Carlos Santana hit a three-run shot in the Mariners’ four-run sixth and Seattle pulled even with four more runs in the eighth inning.
It was the second time in three years that Toronto has failed to win a game in the wild-card round. The Blue Jays were swept by Tampa Bay in 2020 and missed the post-season last year.
The Mariners and Houston Astros will open the best-of-five American League Division Series on Tuesday. The Blue Jays were left to clean out their lockers after a surprising collapse and another October disappointment.
Raleigh scored three runs and had three of Seattle’s 13 hits. Danny Jansen had three hits and drove in two runs for the Blue Jays while Santiago Espinal and Alejandro Kirk added two hits apiece.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman turned in a decent start that lasted 5 2/3 innings. Former Blue Jays left-hander Robbie Ray lasted three-plus frames in his first start in Toronto since signing with Seattle in the off-season.
