Mariners End on High Note in Series Loss to Blue Jays

After struggling through two losses in their first two games against the Toronto Blue Jays this week, the Seattle Mariners found a way to steal the final game of the series, winning 5-1 while impressing in all phases of the game.

Mariners vs Blue Jays: Game 1

The Mariners came into their series with the Blue Jays hoping to gain ground in the season’s early American League Wild Card chase, but weren’t able to gain any momentum during a 6-2 loss. Former Mariners starter Yusei Kikuchi was solid on the mound for Toronto, going six strong innings without allowing a run. The only highlights for Seattle came in Eugenio Suarez’s 200th career home run, and Penn Murfee continuing to impress while striking out two in relief of Chris Flexen.

Mariners vs Blue Jays: Game 2

Mariners ace Logan Gilbert pitched brilliantly in the second game of the series, but a 2-out blooper from Toronto’s George Springer squeaked past a diving Steven Souza Jr. and cleared the bases in the second inning; those three runs were all the Blue Jays needed, as Jose Berrios shut out the M’s  over the course of seven innings.

Mariners vs Blue Jays: Game 3

Despite underperforming in the first two games of the series, the Mariners offense showed out in Game 3, putting up five runs to support a stellar outing from starter Marco Gonzales. Catcher Cal Raleigh homered in the fifth (his second home run in as many series) to put Seattle up 2-1, then All-Star candidate Ty France punished a two-run shot in the seventh to put the Blue Jays away.

Marco Gonzales came in clutch with his second stellar start in a row, this time outdueling Kevin Gausman after doing so against future Hall-of-Famer Max Scherzer last week in New York. Gonzales admitted after the game that his pitching arsenal “isn’t sexy”, but his ability to induce weak contact clearly continues to get the job done.