Vladimir Guerrero Jr., George Springer spark Blue Jays and cut Mariners ALCS lead

By ANDREW DESTIN

SEATTLE — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and George Springer roused Toronto’s offense as the Blue Jays hit five home runs to rebound from an early deficit, beating the Seattle Mariners 13-4 on Wednesday night and closing at 2-1 in the AL Championship Series.

Julio Rodríguez’s first-inning two-run homer off Shane Bieber gave Seattle the lead and sparked thoughts of a possible sweep by a team seeking its first World Series appearance, but Andrés Giménez sparked the comeback with a tying two-run homer in a five-run third against George Kirby.

Springer, Guerrero, Alejandro Kirk and Addison Barger went deep as the Blue Jays totaled 2,004 home runs on 18 hits.

Guerrero had four hits, falling to a triple in the cycle, after going 0 for 7 as the Blue Jays lost the first two games at home.

“Obviously Vladdy was great,” Springer said. “I think as a team it was just a good game overall and we move on to the next one.”

A crowd of 46,471 at T-Mobile Park for Seattle’s first ALCS home game since 2001 saw the teams combine to tie the postseason record of eight home runs combined, set by the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis in Game 3 of the 2015 NL Division Series and matched by the Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston in Game 2 of the 2017 World Series.

Giménez hadn’t homered since Aug. 27 before hitting a fastball from Kirby, who allowed eight runs, eight hits and two walks, taking the loss.

Kirby’s wild pitch gave Toronto a 3-2 lead and Daulton Varsho followed with a two-run double.

Springer homered in the fourth and Guerrero hit his fourth of the playoff for a 7-2 lead on the first pitch of the fifth.

Kirk added a three-run homer in the sixth and hit .413 (19 for 46) with eight RBIs in 14 games at T-Mobile Park.

Bieber, who earned the win, pitched a shutout after the first and ultimately allowed four hits in six innings – the longest outing by a Blue Jays starter in seven postseason games.

“Obviously he didn’t start out the way he wanted to, but that’s pretty much who he is,” Springer said. “He can defend himself against anything.”

After the Blue Jays opened a 12-2 lead, Randy Arozarena connected in the eighth against Yariel Rodríguez for his first home run since September 9 and Cal Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 home runs during the regular season, followed three pitches later with his third of the postseason.

To be continued
Seattle RHP Luis Castillo, who threw 1 1/3 relief against Detroit in Game 5 of the Division Series, will start Thursday against RHP Max Scherzer. The 41-year-old, three-time Cy Young Award winner, is 0-3 in eight postseason starts since Game 1 of the 2019 World Series and hasn’t started a game since September 24.