Must-Win Mode: Blue Jays drop 6-2 decision to Mariners in Game 5 of ALCS

SEATTLE — A bullpen meltdown proved costly for the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night. The good news for Canada’s lone big-league team is the trip to Seattle was still a success.

Eugenio Suarez hit a tiebreaking grand slam in the eighth inning to power the Mariners to a 6-2 victory in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.

The Blue Jays, who earned road wins in Games 3 and 4 to get back into the best-of-seven series, will head home needing a win in Game 6 to force a decider on Monday at Rogers Centre.

“We’ve won two games in a row a whole lot this year,” said Toronto manager John Schneider. “That’s what we expect to do starting on Sunday.”

The Blue Jays had no answer for Suarez, who hit 49 homers in the regular season. He staked Seattle to an early lead with a solo shot in the second inning off Kevin Gausman.

Toronto scratched out runs in the fifth and sixth innings for a 2-1 lead but reliever Brendon Little struggled in the eighth. He gave up a game-tying solo shot to slugger Cal Raleigh before issuing back-to-back walks.

Reliever Seranthony Dominguez came on and hit Randy Arozarena with a pitch before Suarez sent the sellout crowd at T-Mobile Park into hysterics with his 351-foot blast.

“No one feels worse than Little, no one feels worse than Ser right now, or me,” Schneider said. “But I trust every single guy on this roster.”

Edgar Martinez hit the only other playoff grand slam in Mariners franchise history. The score was also tied in the eighth inning when he went deep in Game 4 of the 1995 ALDS against the New York Yankees.

Suarez also became the fifth Mariner to have a multihomer game in the post-season.

“I’ve been waiting for games like this my whole career,” he said. “Today, I had it.”

Schneider used the same batting order for Game 5 that put up eight runs a night earlier. Mariners skipper Dan Wilson slotted Julio Rodriguez in the leadoff position and dropped Arozarena to the fifth spot.

Seattle made strong defensive plays in the early going to help fuel the vocal crowd of 46,758.

Suarez made an over-the-shoulder catch on a Nathan Lukes pop-up in foul territory in the first inning and Leo Rivas made a highlight-reel snag on an Ernie Clement liner in the second.

The Blue Jays will rue their missed opportunities.

Canadian Josh Naylor caught an Andres Gimenez liner in the third and doubled off Isiah Kiner-Falefa at second base.

Toronto loaded the bases with nobody out in the fourth. But Daulton Varsho struck out and Clement hit a nubber in front of the plate that set up a double play.

Seattle starter Bryce Miller was pulled in the fifth. Canadian Matt Brash came on and gave up an RBI double to George Springer before fanning Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with two runners on base.

Mariners all-star pitcher Bryan Woo made his return after a month-long injury absence and Alejandro Kirk doubled off his first pitch. Kirk scored on a Clement single to give Toronto the lead.

Gausman was solid over 5 2/3 innings, allowing three hits, one earned run and three walks while striking out four.

Springer later left the game in the seventh after being hit in the right knee by a pitch. X-rays were negative and he might play Sunday, Schneider said afterward.

The Blue Jays caught a break in the bottom half when Dominic Canzone hit a ball over the wall but just wide of the foul pole. The Mariners unsuccessfully challenged the call.

Arozarena made a jumping catch at the wall to rob Clement of extra bases in the eighth and Seattle took over from there.

“I came in and really couldn’t have pitched worse,” Little said.

MLB teams that trail 3-2 in seven-game series come back to win 30.4 per cent of the time (30 of 115).

Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage was tabbed to start Game 6. He is 1-1 with a 4.82 earned-run average in two post-season starts.

The Mariners did not immediately name their starter.

Seattle is one win away from reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history. The Blue Jays need back-to-back wins to make their first Fall Classic appearance since winning the 1993 title.

“We’ve been the best team in baseball at home,” Gausman said. “So we feel pretty good about our chances.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2025.