SEATTLE (AP) — Eugenio Suarez hit a three-run homer off Sergio Romo in the 11th inning, as the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-2 on Friday night for a season-best sixth straight win.
Suarez didn’t drop the 2-1 slider from Romeo (0-1) and kept it down the left field line. It was their 15th home run of the season and improved to 43–42 at Seattle, the first time the Mariners have topped .500 since they were 12–11 on May 2.
Romo bowled just four pitches in his brief outing. The veteran was named for an assignment by Seattle at the end of last month before signing with the Blue Jays.
Former Toronto reliever Ryan Borucki (1-0) won without conceding runs in the 10th and 11th innings. Borucki dropped out of 10th place after Matt Chapman hit a double play. In the 11th, Chapman moved up to third with an out, but Borucci defeated Cavan Bigio and received a fly out from George Springer.
Seattle tried to win it in the 10th on JP Crawford’s line drive single to left field. Third base coach Manny Acta made an aggressive decision to send in Abraham Toro from second position, but Lord’s Gurrell Jr. The throw was on target and Toro was easily tagged in.
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Dylan Moore had an RBI double in the second innings, and Crawford added an RBI double in the third to score Julio Rodriguez from first base. Rodriguez nearly held home to start the game, but his drive hit the top of the wall in center field and was ejected after stumbling and falling between second and third.
Toronto starter Ross Stripling allowed two runs and seven hits in five innings.
In the second innings, Guriel had an RBI single and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. doubled and scored on Teoscar Hernandez’s RBI single in the fifth.
Seattle starter George Kirby lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed 10 hits, but the Blue Jays could only make two runs despite constant traffic at the base. Toronto left the bases loaded in the fourth inning and runners-up in the second and third in the fifth.
all-star nods
The Toronto All-Star Game ended with a pair of starters after Guerrero and catcher Alejandro Kirk won the final vote to start in their positions for the July 18 game in Los Angeles.
It will be the second All-Star Game for Guerrero, but the first for Kirk, who entered .312 on Friday with 10 homers and 33 RBIs.
Guerrero took the lead after defeating Seattle Ty France at first base.
roster move
Toronto activated RHP Yimi Garcia from the 15-day injured list and selected RHP Casey Lawrence for Triple-A Buffalo. Garcia was out since June 22 due to a back strain.
instructor room
Blue Jays: Toronto has not named a starter for Sunday’s series finale, with manager Charlie Montoyo saying he wanted to see how the next two days went before making a decision on a starter. He also said that RHP Kevin Gossman (ankle) remains in good health. Gaussman was due to start on Thursday but suffered a bruised ankle on his last start.
Mariners: RHP Ken Giles left the game in the eighth inning and with an undisclosed injury in the middle of a bat. Giles got his first out of the innings, but then called a trainer after going 3-1 behind Santiago Espinal.
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Blue Jays: RHP Alek Manoah (9-3, 2.33) looks to recover from a loss on his last start and consolidate his All-Star-worthy resume. Manoah scored four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings on his last start against Oakland. Four runs earned corresponds to a season-high allowed.
Mariners: LHP Robbie Ray (7-6, 3.62) faced his former team for the first time. Ray did not travel to Toronto with the Mariners when the teams met in May because of border restrictions related to the COVID-19 vaccine. Ray is 4-1 with a 0.80 ERA and has 40 strikeouts in 33 2/3 innings in his last five starts.
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