The Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Sunday night, forcing a Game 7 in the American League Championship Series. Rookie pitcher Trey Yesavage struck out seven batters over five and two-thirds innings, while Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his sixth home run of the postseason.
The decisive Game 7 will take place Monday night in Toronto. It marks the second Game 7 in Blue Jays history, the first being a loss to Kansas City in the 1985 ALCS. Seattle, which has never won a pennant, is playing in a postseason Game 7 for the first time. The winner will advance to face the NL champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series beginning Friday.
Toronto turned three double plays behind Yesavage, including two consecutive bases-loaded, inning-ending plays. This made the Blue Jays the first team in postseason history to record consecutive bases-loaded double plays in a game and only the fourth team to turn two in a single playoff game.
The Blue Jays capitalized on Seattle’s season-high three errors, compared with four errors in 10 playoff games for Toronto. Guerrero’s leadoff homer in the fifth inning extended the lead to 5-0 and forced Mariners starter Logan Gilbert from the mound. Gilbert allowed five runs, four earned, on seven hits in four innings.
Addison Barger also homered and drove in three runs, helping Toronto overcome a history of postseason elimination losses. The Blue Jays had lost their previous four games when facing elimination, including matchups in 2016, 2020, 2022, and 2023.
Yesavage carried a shutout into the sixth inning, giving up two runs and six hits. His strikeouts came largely on his split-finger fastball, which he threw 31 times, recording 10 swings and misses. He also recorded double-play grounders in two bases-loaded situations, helping escape potential scoring threats.
Seattle had two chances with the bases loaded against Yesavage in the third and fourth innings but failed each time. Cal Raleigh grounded into a 3-6-1 double play, and JP Crawford followed with a 4-6-3 double play, leaving the Mariners scoreless.
The Mariners finally scored in the sixth inning, sending Yesavage to the bullpen. Josh Naylor hit a solo home run, and Eugenio Suárez drove in another run with a single off reliever Louis Varland.
Toronto added early runs in the second inning due to fielding errors by Julio Rodríguez and Suárez. RBI singles by Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa gave Toronto a 2-0 lead. In the third inning, Ernie Clement’s two-out triple set up Barger’s second postseason homer, extending the lead. Guerrero was later hit by a pitch in the seventh, eventually scoring on a throwing error by Raleigh.
George Springer, starting as designated hitter for the Blue Jays, went 0 for 4 with a walk. He had exited in Game 5 after being hit on the right kneecap by a 95.6 mph pitch from Bryan Woo.
Toronto is expected to start right-hander Shane Bieber on Monday. Bieber allowed two runs and four hits over six innings in Game 3, striking out eight batters. Seattle will counter with right-hander George Kirby, who allowed eight runs, including three home runs, over four innings in Game 3.
The winner of Monday’s Game 7 will advance to the World Series, with both teams aiming to capture their first championship of the season.
