Blue Jays lead Mariners in Game 2 after six innings
Published
The Toronto Blue Jays hold an 8-5 lead over the Seattle Mariners after six innings in Game 2 of their American League Wild Card Series on Saturday.
Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run shot in the second inning to put the Blue Jays on the board in the second inning while Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s RBI single extended the Blue Jays lead in the third.
Hernandez knocked Mariners starting pitcher Robbie Ray out of the game when he hit a lead-off home run for his second of the game in the fourth inning to give the Blue Jays a 4-0 lead.
The Mariners got on the board in the fifth inning on a sacrifice fly by Jarred Kelenic to score Adam Frazier from third base.
The Blue Jays got to Mariners right-handed pitcher Paul Sewald in the fifth inning where a wild pitch scored Santiago Espinal from third base then Sewald hit Hernandez with the bases loaded to increase the lead to 6-1.
Matt Chapman followed up with a sacrifice fly to score Guerrero Jr. then Danny Jansen hit an RBI double to score Alejandro Kirk to give the Blue Jays an 8-1 lead to knock Sewald out of the game in the fifth inning.
The Mariners threatened in the sixth inning after Jays starter Kevin Gausman loaded the bases before being relived by left-handed pitcher Tim Mayza. Mayza's first pitch was wild to allow Ty France to score from third and it was followed with a Carlos Santana three-run shot to cut the Blue Jays lead to 8-5.
Gausman pitched five and two-thirds innings with seven strike outs giving up four runs with five hits and one walk.
Ray pitched three innings for the Mariners with four strike outs giving up four runs with six hits and and was relieved by right-handed pitcher Matt Brash in the fourth Inning.
Blue Jays outfielder Whit Merrifield left the game after the fifth inning after taking a pitch to the helmet by Mariners relief pitcher Diego Castillo in the fifth inning,