Teoscar Hernandez, Mariners rally for thrilling 9-8 victory over Blue Jays
There’s something about the Blue Jays — and their fans’ takeover of T-Mobile Park — that seems to bring out the best in the Mariners.
Teoscar Hernandez delivered again against his former team, and the Mariners scored five runs in the seventh inning to rally for one of their most thrilling victories of the season in a 9-8 win over the Toronto Blue Jays before an emotionally charged crowd of 44,921 Saturday afternoon.
Cal Raleigh hit two home runs, and Dylan Moore and Julio Rodriguez each homered off Toronto ace Kevin Gausman as the Mariners (50-48) won a series against one of the teams they’re chasing in the American League wild-card race.
Seattle will go for the series sweep Sunday afternoon.
The Mariners have won nine of their last 11 games against the Blue Jays, including their two playoff victories last October in Toronto.
The Blue Jays (54-45) had taken a 7-4 lead with four runs in the fifth inning off M’s starter Logan Gilbert.
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The Mariners rallied with five runs in the seventh, sending nine batters to the plate.
Kolten Wong had a key RBI single, then stole second and scored the tying run on J.P. Crawford’s two-run double down the right-field line.
Hernandez added a two-out, two-strike double to left field, scoring Crawford and Rodriguez for the go-ahead runs. Rodriguez slid home just ahead of the relay throw.
After the Blue Jays got within one run in the ninth inning, Justin Topa got George Springer to ground out to Wong at second to end it, stranding the tying run at third base.
Raleigh’s first home run was the Mariners’ first of three in the third inning.
Moore, on the very next pitch, turned on a Gausman fastball and hit it high off the foul pole in left field.
Rodriguez added the third homer of the third inning, a no-doubter off the out-of-town scoreboard beyond the bullpens in left field. It was his first home run since June 24.
Source: The Seattle Times
