Suárez salami gives Mariners 3-2 lead in ALCS over Blue Jays

A few big swings have the Seattle Mariners just one little victory away from the World Series.

Seattle Mariners 6, Toronto Blue Jays 2: Full recap story | Box score

Eugenio Suárez got out the rye bread and mustard at the absolutely best time, delivering a grand salami to the opposite field in the bottom of the eighth inning, breaking a 2-all tie and lifting the Mariners to a 6-2 win over the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the ALCS on Friday night.

EUGENIO SUÁREZ CONNECTS AGAIN IN GRAND FASHION 🤯

WHAT A GAME IN SEATTLE 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9BQVmonoum

— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

The win gives the Mariners a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series as it heads back to Toronto for Game 6 on Sunday. The M’s had never won three games in the Championship Series round before Friday.

The slam by Suárez was his second home run of the game, as he also hit a solo shot off Toronto starter Kevin Gausman to give Seattle a 1-0 lead in the second inning.

Eugenio Suárez … ABSOLUTELY HAMMERED 💥 pic.twitter.com/LqImJdVbyq

— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025

The stage was set for Suárez’s big blast in the eighth with a couple big plays just moments before.

With the Mariners just trying to keep the score at 2-1 Blue Jays, Toronto third baseman Ernie Clement hit a long fly ball to left field with one out in the top of the eighth. It threatened to give Toronto a two-run advantage, but Arozarena made a short leap at the wall to haul it in and get the T-Mobile Park crowd back into the game.

Randy Arozarena leaps at the wall to make a nice grab 💪 pic.twitter.com/Wj0DmA3wB5

— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

A few moments later, Cal Raleigh came to the plate to lead off the bottom of the eighth, and the Blue Jays elected to put in left-hander Brendon Little and give the switch-hitting Raleigh just his first opportunity to swing right-handed in the series.

Raleigh was ready for his chance, touching the sky with a majestic solo homer to tie things up at 2-2.

CAL RALEIGH
TIE GAME
T-MOBILE PARK IS ROCKING 🔱 pic.twitter.com/6eOzi9jf2a

— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

After Raleigh’s homer, Jorge Polanco and Josh Naylor drew walks, and Arozarena was hit by a pitch to load the bases with no outs for Suárez. He worked the count to 2-2 against Toronto righty Seranthony Domínguez, then rode a 98.5 mph fastball to right field that wasn’t the biggest homer in distance (351 feet) but certainly was one of the biggest ever hit by a player in Mariners uniform.

GENO'S HOMER LIVE FROM THE STANDS 🤯 pic.twitter.com/BOoPjaVR7S

— MLB (@MLB) October 18, 2025

With Friday’s win, which was Seattle’s first victory in a home ALCS game since 2000 and just their second all-time at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners now have two chances in Toronto to get the one win that would send them to the first World Series in franchise history.

Game 6 is set for 5:03 p.m. Sunday at Toronto’s Rogers Centre, where the Mariners won Game 1 and Game 2. Radio coverage will be on Seattle Sports, with the TV broadcast airing on FS1. A potential Game 7 would be at 5:08 p.m. Monday.

Seattle Mariners ALCS coverage

• Jon Morosi: Two big keys to Mariners’ dramatic Game 5 triumph
• Hear Rick Rizzs’ Mariners radio call of Eugenio Suárez’s grand salami
• Stacy Rost: Mariners’ trade for Suárez didn’t just make them better
• Mariners’ defense shines with web gems in pivotal ALCS Game 5 win
• Drayer: Why Seattle Mariners put Bryan Woo in bullpen

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