The Seattle Mariners got here again from a seven-run deficit and beat Toronto 10-9 in a wild Game 2 on Saturday to eradicate the Blue Jays from the post-season.
Cal Raleigh doubled off Blue Jays nearer Jordan Romano in the ninth inning and scored the go-ahead run when Adam Frazier lashed a two-out double into the right-field nook.
George Kirby earned the save as Seattle accomplished a sweep of the best-of-three wild-card collection in entrance of a surprised sellout crowd at Rogers Centre.
Teoscar Hernandez hit two homers to assist energy the Blue Jays to an 8-1 lead after 5 innings. But Carlos Santana hit a three-run shot in the Mariners’ four-run sixth and Seattle pulled even with 4 extra runs in the eighth inning.
It was the second time in three years that Toronto has did not win a recreation in the wild-card spherical. The Blue Jays have been swept by Tampa Bay in 2020 and missed the post-season final yr.
The Mariners and Houston Astros will open the best-of-five American League Division Series on Tuesday. The Blue Jays have been left to wash out their lockers after a shocking collapse and one other 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 whereas Santiago Espinal and Alejandro Kirk added two hits apiece.
Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman turned in a good begin that lasted 5 2/3 innings. Former Blue Jays left-hander Robbie Ray lasted three-plus frames in his first begin in Toronto since signing with Seattle in the low season.
Gausman left his final regular-season begin after three innings with a reduce on the center finger of his throwing hand. He confirmed no in poor health results in the late-afternoon begin and was in full management in the early going.
He obtained some defensive assist from Bo Bichette, who made a stellar catch in the second inning that put a cost into the gang of 47,156.
The shortstop timed a bounce completely to snag a liner from Frazier and Gausman adopted with two strikeouts. The spark carried over into the underside half of the body.
Kirk led off with a double and Hernandez launched a rainbow blast for his first profession playoff homer.
Ray inked a long-term cope with the Mariners after profitable the AL Cy Young Award final yr with Toronto. He was booed earlier than the sport and followers derisively chanted his first identify at instances.
He gave up one other leadoff double in the third as Espinal stroked a pitch into the left-field nook. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., scorched a single up the center to make it 3-0.
Hernandez belted a first-pitch fastball over the wall in the fourth inning to finish Ray’s day. The veteran southpaw gave up six hits and 4 earned runs with 4 strikeouts.
Gausman, in the meantime, set down 10 Mariners in order earlier than giving up a leadoff single to Frazier in the fifth.
Santana adopted with a double that bounced off the highest of the wall in centre discipline and stayed in the park. Frazier went to 3rd and scored on a Jarred Kelenic sacrifice fly.
The Blue Jays pulled away with 4 runs in the underside half. Toronto loaded the bases on an Espinal single, Bichette double and intentional stroll to Guerrero.
All three gamers would rating — on a handed ball, hit batsman and sacrifice fly, respectively — earlier than Jansen drove in Kirk with a double to make it 8-1.
Reliever Diego Castillo took over from Paul Sewald and hit Whit Merrifield in the pinnacle along with his first pitch. Merrifield was examined by a coach and took first base however was later changed in left discipline by Raimel Tapia.
The Mariners loaded the bases in the sixth however Gausman responded by getting a strikeout and pop fly. Schneider turned to the bullpen and Gausman acquired a standing ovation as he walked to the dugout.
Left-hander Tim Mayza got here on and gave up a run on a wild pitch. Santana introduced dwelling the opposite runners along with his first homer of the playoffs.
Jansen stroked an RBI single in the seventh inning to pad Toronto’s lead. Seattle scored a run off Anthony Bass in the eighth and put two runners on with no one out.
Romano, from Markham, Ont., got here on and gave up a single to Frazier that loaded the bases. The Toronto nearer fanned Santana and Dylan Moore earlier than J.P. Crawford lifted a blooper that landed in shallow centre discipline.
Bichette and outfielder George Springer collided as each gamers made diving makes an attempt to catch the ball. Springer was shaken up on the play and was taken off the sphere on a golf cart whereas Bichette stayed in the sport.
Jackie Bradley Jr., changed Springer in centre discipline. Bichette reached third base in the underside of the eighth however was left stranded on a Kirk groundout.
Matt Chapman reached on a one-out stroll in the ninth however Kirby struck out Jansen and obtained Tapia on a fly out to finish a recreation that lasted 4 hours 13 minutes.
Espinal, who missed two weeks with an indirect harm, obtained the beginning at second base. Jansen was behind the plate whereas Kirk moved to designated hitter.
Gausman allowed 5 hits, 4 earned runs and a stroll. He had seven strikeouts.
Seattle blanked Toronto 4-0 in the collection opener on Friday in the Blue Jays’ first dwelling playoff recreation since 2016.
The Blue Jays received 92 video games in the common season — two greater than Seattle — and secured the highest wild-card seed with a couple of video games left in the season. That allowed the Blue Jays to relaxation some core gamers and line up their starters on common relaxation.
But it did not repay towards the Mariners, who travelled throughout the continent and weren’t intimidated by the boisterous Toronto crowds.
Toronto hasn’t received a playoff collection since 2016 when the Blue Jays reached the AL Championship Series for the second straight yr. The Blue Jays final received the World Series in 1993.
Seattle ended a 21-year playoff drought this season. This was for the primary time the 1977 growth cousins have performed one another in the post-season.