Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits sixth homer of postseason as Blue Jays dominate Mariners to force ALCS Game 7
By Frank Nunns O’Connell, CNN
(CNN) — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his sixth home run of the 2025 postseason as the Toronto Blue Jays dominated the Seattle Mariners 6-2 on Sunday to force Game 7 in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).
The only major league team without a pennant, Seattle will play a Game 7 for the first time in its history Monday in Toronto. It will be the second Game 7 the Blue Jays have ever played and their first since 1985.
The winner faces the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series with Game 1 taking place on Friday.
Although Toronto staved off elimination admirably, the Blue Jays were given a helping hand by Seattle’s season-high three errors – two of which came moments apart in the second inning.
First, Julio Rodríguez had a fielding error on a single from Daulton Varsho to left center-field, allowing Varsho to take second base.
The next batter, Ernie Clement, hit a groundball to Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who ended up losing the ball on the transfer to throw.
Addison Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa immediately took advantage with back-to-back RBI singles to open an early 2-0 advantage for Toronto.
“Balls just kind of in and out of the glove there that put a couple extra guys on base,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said, according to NBC Sports. “Unfortunately, it led to a couple runs.”
Barger doubled the advantage an inning later when he smacked a two-run homer to right center field.
With a 4-0 lead by the bottom of the fifth, up stepped Guerrero Jr.
The slugger’s solo shot to left field was his sixth homer of the playoffs and extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 5-0.
The Mariners eventually got on the board in the sixth after Josh Naylor homered to right field. Randy Arozerana followed with a single that knocked Trey Yesavage out of the game after 87 pitches. Suárez then welcomed reliever Louis Varland with a single down the right-field line to score Arozerana from first base.
But the game was put beyond Seattle’s reach after a wild pitch from Matt Brash in the seventh which allowed Guerrero to score, extending the lead to 6-2 and consequently sending the series to a deciding Game 7.
“Got to enjoy it, man. This is what we sign up for,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said, according to the Associated Press. “It’s special and unique, but you have to look at it as a game.”
It was six days since the Mariners scored five runs in four innings against Yesevage in Game 2, giving the 2024 first-round pick his first taste of adversity at the highest level.
But on Sunday, 22-year-old threw a season-high 31 splitters, getting seven strikeouts and giving up only six hits and three walks on the night, showing a level of composure that gave his team a huge win.
“I just believed in myself. I know my stuff plays at this level,” Yesavage said, according to AP.
“I know the defense behind me is going to play at the best of their abilities, and getting three double plays in back-to-back-to-back innings was huge.”
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