SEATTLE — The bases are loaded in the bottom of the eighth inning in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series. Eugenio Suarez steps into the righty batter’s box in a 2-2 game. He waits for a pitch that he likes from Blue Jays reliever Seranthony Dominguez until he gets a fastball on a 2-2 count. He hits the ball on a line out to right field, Addison Barger looked up to see the ball sail over the fence. It’s a grand salami for the hometown Mariners.
That would catapult the Seattle Mariners to a 6-2 lead over the Toronto Blue Jays to win Game 5 of the ALCS and take a 3-2 series lead.
The big highlight was Eugenio Suarez in the game. Not only did he have the go-ahead home run in the bottom of the eighth, but he hit one earlier in the second inning to get the party started for the Mariners off of Kevin Gausman.
Both starting pitchers had strong outings. Besides the solo shot from Suarez, Gausman had a solid outing. Through 5.2 innings of work, he only gave up three hits, three walks and struck out four Mariners. Bryce Miller was dominant in the first start against the Blue Jays in Game 1 and stuck to it. He had a fairly short outing, only throwing 56 pitches for four innings of work.
The game would get more interesting as it went along. George Springer has given Seattle problems all through the ALCS and it continued with a double to score Barger to tie the game at 1-1. This was Miller’s only run given up in the game.
Another Blue Jay to give the Mariners trouble has been Ernie Clement. He’s been red hot in the postseason, batting .429. He only went 1-for-4 tonight, but that hit was a crucial RBI single to drive in Alejandro Kirk to give the Jays a 2-1 lead.
Another important detail was the Blue Jays’ bullpen implosion. All was quiet at T-Mobile Park before the bottom of the eighth inning. Toronto brought in Brendon Little to get the hold and set up the save, but that didn’t go according to plan. Mariners all-star catcher Cal Raleigh came up to the plate to try and tie the game. The third pitch he saw was sent down the left field line to tie the game at 2-2 and send the anxious ballpark into a frenzy, which is how it would be for the rest of the night, as the M’s would go home victorious.
The Mariners now take a 3-2 series lead, the closest they have ever been to a World Series. They now go back to Toronto for Game 6 in the series. For Seattle, Logan Gilbert gets the nod. For Toronto, the rookie phenom Trey Yesavage is on the bump. Both teams get an off day before Sunday’s game at 8:03 on FS1.
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