Blue Jays ride big 3rd inning to Game 3 rout of Mariners

SEATTLE – Through the first two games of the American League Championship Series, the Seattle Mariners shut down the Toronto Blue Jays’ high-powered lineup.

Toronto bounced back in a major way in Game 3.

Toronto Blue Jays 13, Seattle Mariners 4: Full recap | Box score

The Blue Jays exploded for a five-run third inning off Mariners starter George Kirby and rolled to a 13-4 rout Wednesday night that quieted a raucous T-Mobile Park crowd and cut Seattle’s lead to 2-1 in this best-of-seven series.

The night began on a good note for the Mariners, as Julio Rodríguez blasted a two-run homer in the first inning that gave Seattle an early 2-0 lead and sent an already-electric crowd into a frenzy. It was the seventh time in eight games that the Mariners have scored first this postseason.

But it all unraveled after that, beginning with the fateful third inning.

Ernie Clement, Toronto’s No. 8 hitter, led off the third with a first-pitch double down the left-field line. Two pitches later, No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez turned on a fastball and lofted it over the right-center-field fence to tie the game at 2-2. It was Giménez’s first home run in 24 career postseason games.

Andrés Giménez ties the game! #ALCS pic.twitter.com/drtdQh8gQ1

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

Later in the frame, Nathan Lukes hit a sharp one-out single to center, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. followed with a double and Alejandro Kirk drew a two-out walk to load the bases.

Kirby then threw a slider in the dirt for a wild pitch that catcher Cal Raleigh wasn’t able to block, which allowed Lukes to score for a 3-2 Blue Jays lead. Then, on the ensuing pitch, Kirby left a four-seam fastball over the upper part of the zone and Daulton Varsho ripped it off the top of the right-field wall for a two-run double that made it 5-2.

Daulton Varsho makes it a 5-run inning for the @BlueJays! pic.twitter.com/lbrDBbr4ei

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

The Blue Jays had a lot of loud contact during their five-run third, connecting for four hits that registered an exit velocity of 100-plus mph.

The haymakers continued after that, as George Springer launched a 431-foot solo homer to dead center in the fourth and Guerrero added a solo shot in the fifth to make it 7-2. Kirby exited one batter later and finished with a line of eight runs, eight hits and three homers in four-plus innings.

Feeling 22 😎

George Springer mashes his 22nd career #Postseason homer! pic.twitter.com/wgi2ImqonT

— MLB (@MLB) October 16, 2025

Kirk put the exclamation mark on Toronto’s Game 3 outburst with a three-run homer in the sixth off reliever Caleb Ferguson to push the lead to 10 runs.

Game 4 is Thursday night at 5:33 p.m. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at 2 p.m. with an extended pregame show. The TV broadcast will be on FS1.

More Seattle Mariners ALCS coverage

• Mariners’ resiliency to be tested once more in ALCS Game 4
• Seattle Mariners: Two important reminders come out of Game 3 loss
• The latest on Mariners RHP Bryan Woo’s status for the ALCS
• Passan: Polanco’s heroics are how ‘World Series runs are built’
• Seattle Mariners have big advantage in ALCS that stands out

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