Cease shuts down Mariners, leads Blue Jays to 2-0 win

Seattle had just four hits in its first game against Toronto since the 2025 ALCS.

Jul 3, 2026, 10:15 PM

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 03: Dylan Cease #84 of the Toronto Blue Jays pitches during the first inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 03, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images)

(Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images)

SEATTLE (AP) — Dylan Cease struck out nine in seven sharp innings to pitch the Toronto Blue Jays past the Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Friday night in a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series.

Toronto Blue Jays 2, Seattle Mariners 0: Box Score

Andrés Giménez hit an RBI double and scored when Vladimir Guerrero Jr. singled off Mariners starter Luis Castillo in the third.

Sean Keys was 2 for 4 with a double and a run.

Cease (5-4), who leads the AL with 141 strikeouts, gave up three hits and walked one. Jeff Hoffman fanned two in a hitless eighth and Louis Varland worked a one-hit ninth for his 18th save.

Castillo (3-7) gave up five hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out four.

Cole Young and Victor Robles hit back-to-back singles to start the third — the first baserunners for Seattle — before Colt Emerson grounded into a double play. After J.P. Crawford walked, Randy Arozarena’s groundout ended the threat.

Seattle had four hits and struck out 12 times.

The Mariners (45-44) fell a half-game behind AL West-leading Texas (45-43).

The teams met for the first time since the Blue Jays beat Seattle 4-3 at home in Game 7 of the 2025 ALCS.