TORONTO – Addison Barger hit a two-run homer and three RBIs Sunday night as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 6-2 to force Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.
The decisive match will be played Monday evening in Toronto.
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. added a solo shot for Toronto. Josh Naylor scored for the Mariners, who have never won an AL pennant.
Seattle made two errors to help Toronto take a 2-0 lead in the second against Logan Gilbert (1-1).
Daulton Varsho lined a single to center and took second on center fielder Julio Rodriguez’s error to open the second. Ernie Clement reached first on third baseman Eugenio Suarez’s error. Barger then lined an RBI single to right before scoring on Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s base hit, a run to third.
Trey Yesavage (2-1) retired his first six batters, striking out the team in the second. He allowed two walks and a single over the right field wall to load the bases in the third before Cal Raleigh grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Clement tripled high over the left field wall with two outs in the home third and two pitches later, Barger singled to center on an 0-1 slider to make it 4-0.
Seattle loaded the bases again in the fourth with two singles and a walk before JP Crawford grounded into an inning-ending double play.
The Mariners again hit an inning-ending double play in the fifth, this time by Rodriguez.
Guerrero led off the fifth home run with his sixth home run of the postseason, a shot to right. His six career postseason home runs tie him with Joe Carter and Jose Bautista for most in team history.
Eduard Bazardo replaced Gilbert, who allowed five runs (four earned), seven hits and one walk with three strikeouts in four-plus innings.
Naylor homered to right with two outs in the sixth. After Randy Arozarena followed with a single, Louis Varland replaced Yesavage and Suarez looped an RBI single to right. Yesavage allowed two runs, six hits and three walks with seven strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Guerrero scored on a wild pitch and throwing error in the seventh after being hit by a Matt Brash pitch and taking second on Alejandro Kirk’s single.
Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman pitched a perfect eighth and drew a walk in the ninth. He had four strikeouts.
–Larry Millson, Field Media
