Trailing 8-1 after the fifth inning, the Mariners appeared doomed to defeat, but the Mariners would not go down quietly. In fact, they did the unthinkable, coming back from a seven-run deficit to tie the game in the eighth inning. Eventually taking the lead in the ninth inning and holding onto it, as they advanced to the ALDS!
Here is how the Mariners epic comeback happened
After surrendering eight runs in five innings, coming off rough outings by Paul Sewald and Robbie Ray, Ty France sparked a rally in the top of the 6th inning, with a lead-off single against Kevin Gausman. Eugenio Suarez followed suit with a single on a 2-2 pitch from Gausman putting runners at first and second with no-out.
Cal Raleigh then singled to left field on a fly ball that just dropped in front of Raimel Tapia. Gausman would then get Mitch Haniger to strike out swinging on a splitter. After Frazier popped out, the Blue Jays decided to go to their bullpen and lefty Tim Mayza even though Gausman had gone 5.2 innings allowing just one run.
Mayza then threw a wild pitch which scored France, and the score was then 8-2 Blue Jays. Two pitches later on a 1-1 pitch to Carlos Santana, he blasted a sinker for a three-run home run, making the game 8-5 Bluejays.
The Blue Jays would add another run in the bottom of the seventh inning on an RBI single from Danny Jansen. The Mariners responded in the top of the eighth inning with three straight hits off Anthony Bass from Suarez, Raleigh, and Haniger. Suarez scored on Raleigh’s single after doubling making the score 9-6 Blue Jays.
Then Raleigh advanced to second on Haniger’s single. Bass was then removed after Haniger’s single and was replaced with Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano. Adam Frazier promptly greeted him with a base hit to left, and the bases were loaded with nobody out. The Mariners appeared doomed after Carlos Santana and Dylan Moore struck out.
However, something crazy would happen when JP Crawford stepped to the plate with two outs, and the Mariners trailing 9-6. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Crawford blooped a ball to shallow center field, which fell in, as George Springer and Bo Bichette collided. In the midst of the chaos of the play, all three Mariners runners would score to tie the game at 9-9.
Andres Munoz would come up clutch in the eighth inning holding the Blue Jays scoreless. With one out in the top of the ninth, Cal Raleigh came up with a big hit once again a double off Romano who stayed in the game. Mitch Haniger would fly out to center field and there were two outs. Adam Frazier came to the plate in a crucial spot with two outs and a runner in scoring position. On the first pitch of the at-bat, Frazier doubled down into the right field corner, scoring Raleigh to give the Mariners a 10-9 lead, their first of the game.
George Kirby would come in to close the game in the bottom of the ninth for the first time in his career. Delivering a clutch one-run save, getting Raimel Tapia to fly out to center to end the game. The Mariners beat the Blue Jays 10-9 in one of the most chaotic and historic comebacks in baseball history!