Inside The Mariners

Seattle Mariners 9-Series Winning Streak Snapped in 6-3 Loss to Toronto Blue Jays

The Mariners failed to keep their hopes of 10 consecutive series wins alive despite an early multi-run lead against the Blue Jays on Saturday.
Teren Kowatsch|
Seattle Mariners first baseman Rowdy Tellez (center) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 10 at T-Mobile Park.
Seattle Mariners first baseman Rowdy Tellez (center) celebrates after hitting a home run against the Toronto Blue Jays on May 10 at T-Mobile Park. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

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Seattle MarinersToronto Blue Jays

SEATTLE — The best run in the last 24 years of Seattle Mariners history came to a halt on Saturday after the team's nine-series win streak was snapped in a 6-3 loss against the Toronto Blue Jays. The Mariners fell to 22-16 on the year with the loss. Their lead in the American League West was cut to two games after the defeat.

"Tough one tonight," Seattle manager Dan Wilson said in a postgame interview. "Got the lead early and just weren't able to hold onto it. I thought Toronto put together some pretty good at-bats on their end. ... You look at that series streak and what these guys were able to accomplish in that clubhouse, it's pretty impressive. Start another one starting tomorrow, we'll get on that win board again and get started again."

Through the first four innings, it looked like the Mariners were cruising to set up a rubber match for Sunday, as they had done several times on their nine-series streak.

Seattle broke out to a 3-0 lead through four. Rowdy Tellez hit his fourth home run in five games this season against the Blue Jays (his former team) to put the Mariners up 1-0 in the bottom of the first. Randy Arozarena extended his career-best on-base streak to 32 games with an RBI double in the bottom of the third. Leody Taveras had his third RBI in as many games in a Seattle uniform with a sacrifice fly the same inning, also in the third.

Starting pitcher Logan Evans also threw what were arguably his best four innings since making his major league debut April 27. He had three strikeouts through four and allowed three base runners on as many hits.

Everything started to snowball for the M's in the fifth. Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette hit a two-run homer to cut the Mariners lead to 3-2. One inning later, Addison Barger grounded into a force out that scored George Springer — who hit a single off Evans to get on base — to tie the game 3-3. Evans was pulled in the sixth without recording an out that inning.

Evans finished game with three fanned batters, two walks and three earned runs allowed on five hits in five innings.

"I felt like I was cruising through four then kind of hit a hiccup," Evans said after the game. "But didn't really lose confidence. Just happens. Then went out and tried to do my job. And like I said, just didn't go my way, unfortunately. But it was cool that they trusted me to go back out there for the sixth."

The score remained knotted 3-3 until the top of the eighth. Barger hit an RBI single to pull the Blue Jays in front 4-3 and Myles Straw scored another two with his own single for the eventual final of 6-3. Both hits came off reliever Carlos Vargas, who was dinged with his second loss of the season.

Toronto was able to key into right field to mount its comeback. By the ninth inning, the Blue Jays had seven opposite-field hits to right, including Bichette's home run.

"They were pushing the ball over that direction a little bit," Wilson said. "Able to get it through a couple times. That seemed to be what their approach was tonight. It got them some runs, especially late."

Seattle had a chance to retake the lead in the top of the seventh, but left runners stranded on the corners. It finished the game 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left four on base.

The Mariners will have a chance to close out the series with some momentum going into the second leg of the homestead against the New York Yankees.

Bryce Miller will start for Seattle in the the series finale at 1:10 p.m. PT on Sunday. Jose Urena will start for Toronto.

Related Stories on Seattle Mariners

MARINERS MANAGER DISCUSSES TEAM'S FLUID APPROACH TO SECOND BASE: The Mariners have had a by-committee approach to second base during their nine-series win streak. CLICK HERE

RANDY AROZARENA CLOSING IN ON FORMER ALL-STAR IN RECENT TEAM HISTORY: Randy Arozarena is approaching the longest on-base streak in the last nine years of team history. CLICK HERE

MARINERS MANAGER, CATCHER DISCUSS LEAGUE-WIDE CHANGES TO STRIKE ZONE: Cal Raleigh and Dan Wilson both talked about the changes to the "buffer zone" area around the strike zone. CLICK HERE

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Teren Kowatsch
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