Mariners’ Dominance Continues: Seattle Takes Game 2 of ALCS

TORONTO, Ontario – The Seattle Mariners are now just two wins away from their first World Series appearance in franchise history after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 10-3 in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series (ALCS) on Monday night at Rogers Centre.

Julio Rodríguez and Jorge Polanco led the Mariners’ offensive assault with three-run homers in the first and fifth innings, respectively. The Mariners started strong with Rodríguez’s homer, which came on the third pitch of the game, scoring Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh.

Polanco’s pivotal home run in the fifth inning extended the Mariners’ lead to 6-3 and came after an intentional walk to Raleigh, a decision that backfired for the Blue Jays. This marked Polanco’s third home run of the postseason, raising his RBI total to five in just two games.

“It’s huge for us,” Polanco said. “We want to keep this momentum going as we head back home.”

The Mariners built an early 3-0 lead before the Blue Jays fought back to tie the game in the second inning. George Springer and Nathan Lukes each contributed with key hits to help Toronto erase the deficit. However, Seattle swiftly reclaimed the advantage with robust inning performances.

Seattle’s bullpen proved dominant, allowing only one hit to the Blue Jays’ lineup over the last six innings. Eduard Bazardo and Carlos Vargas contributed two scoreless innings each, helping preserve the Mariners’ lead.

“Our bullpen has been incredible. They come in and shut the door,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson stated. “It sets the tone for what we want to do.”

Toronto’s starter, Trey Yesavage, struggled with command, giving up four runs over 4.1 innings. The Blue Jays will need to regroup quickly as they face an uphill battle, needing to win four of the next five games to advance to the World Series.

Josh Naylor, a Toronto native, highlighted the seventh inning with a two-run homer, further solidifying Seattle’s control of the game. This marked Naylor’s first postseason home run.

The Mariners will head home for Games 3-5 at T-Mobile Park, where they enjoyed a strong 51-30 record this season. The next game is scheduled for Wednesday, with George Kirby set to pitch for Seattle.