The Seattle Mariners secured a 6-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) through a late-game offensive surge on Friday. With this win, the Mariners now lead the best-of-seven series 3-2, putting the Jays in a precarious position as they head back to Toronto for a crucial Game 6 on Sunday.
Starting pitcher Kevin Gausman performed well for the Jays, pitching five and two-thirds innings, allowing only one run, a solo home run by Eugenio Suárez, and striking out four batters. The Jays’ offense began to pick up momentum in the fifth inning with an RBI double from George Springer, tying the game at 1-1, and took the lead in the following inning with Ernie Clement’s RBI single scoring Alejandro Kirk.
Despite not hitting as many home runs as in previous games, the Jays managed to get runners on base with several players hitting doubles throughout the game. However, the team faced a setback when Springer exited the game in the seventh inning after being hit on the knee by a pitch.
Seattle’s Cal Raleigh tied the game with a leadoff solo homer off Toronto reliever Brendon Little in the eighth inning, erasing the Jays’ slim 2-1 lead. Little went on to issue back-to-back walks and was replaced by Seranthony Domínguez, who struggled, eventually giving up a grand slam to Suárez, extending the Mariners’ lead to 6-2.
The series now shifts back to Toronto for Game 6, with rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage set to start for the Jays. If Toronto can secure a win and force a Game 7, it will be played in Toronto on Monday. The winner of the ALCS will advance to the World Series, a stage the Blue Jays last reached in the 1990s, while Seattle has never made it to the Fall Classic.
The ALCS victor will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, as the Dodgers completed a 4-0 sweep of the National League Championship Series by defeating the Milwaukee Brewers 5-1 in Game 4 on Friday night. Los Angeles has won two of the last five World Series championships.