The Blue Jays were hosting a playoff game at Rogers Center for the first time since 2016. Alek Manoah was on the mound for the occasion. He faced Luis Castillo.
The game started very badly for the right-hander of the Jays. Indeed, unlike his regular season, he did not seem in the game.
After hitting leadoff batter Julio Rodriguez hands-high, Manoah gave Eugenio Suarez a double. Then, Cam Raleigh hit a two-run homer.
3-0 Mariners after one inning.
The Blue Jays had their chances. In the third inning, two runners were on the trails, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a low fly ball to center field.
In the fifth inning, Seattle showed a little more opportunism. With runners at the ends and an out, Suarez (him again) hit in an optional. Julio Rodriguez came to score on the sequence.
After five and two-thirds innings, the workday was over for Manoah. And he was furious when he returned to the bench.
The Jays had a few chances to tie the game, but the majority of the hits came with two outs.
Castillo really gave the Torontonians nothing. After seven and a third innings, his game was over. Upon his return to the bench, he was booed by the Canadian crowd.
Perhaps John Schneider would have liked to have Edwin Encarnacion in his lineup, he who made the ceremonial throw.
The Mariners held on and won 4-0.
So the Jays bullpen did well. Tim Mayza, Yimi Garcia, Trevor Richards gave the Mariners nothing. He will be rested tomorrow, then.
Toronto faces elimination tomorrow as Kevin Gausman and Robbie Ray face off. If there is a final match, Ross Stripling will be on the hill for the locals and Logan Gilbert for the visitors.
In the second of four games of the day, the St. Louis Cardinals hosted the Philadelphia Phillies.
The game was tight throughout the encounter. In the seventh, Juan Yepez broke the tie with a two-run homer. At this point, we could if he hadn’t given the victory to the Cardinals.
But Philadelphia did not give up. In the ninth inning, the Phillies scored six runs, sending ten batters at bat.
Rare mistake by Nolan Arenado on the sequence.
The Cards scored a run in the bottom of the inning, but it was too little, too late.
Result: Philadelphia leads the series 1-0. He will have the chance to sweep the series tomorrow at 8:37 p.m. For the occasion, Aaron Nola will face Miles Mikolas.
