Rough 3rd inning hurts Mariners again in Game 4 loss

SEATTLE – For the second straight night, a costly third inning sunk the Seattle Mariners into an early hole they couldn’t recover from.

And suddenly, this American League Championship Series is all square at two games apiece.

Toronto Blue Jays 8, Seattle Mariners 2: Recap | Box score

The Toronto Blue Jays pulled in front with a three-run third inning off Mariners starter Luis Castillo and stayed in control the rest of the way, handing Seattle an 8-2 loss in Game 4 of the ALCS on Thursday night at T-Mobile Park.

It was reminiscent of Wednesday night’s Game 3, when the Blue Jays exploded for a five-run third off George Kirby on their way to a 13-4 rout.

After the Mariners stymied Toronto’s big bats to take a 2-0 series lead north of the border, the Blue Jays have outscored Seattle 21-6 since the series shifted to the Emerald City.

Josh Naylor gave the Mariners an early 1-0 lead in Game 4 with a second-inning solo home run. It was similar to the previous night, when Julio Rodríguez hit a two-run shot in the first inning to stake Seattle an early lead in front of the raucous home fans.

But once again, things started to unravel in the third.

After Toronto’s Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off the third with a double down the left-field line, No. 9 hitter Andrés Giménez sent a full-count slider over the right-field fence to give the Blue Jays a 2-1 lead. It was the second homer in as many nights for Giménez, who also went deep with a two-run shot in the third inning of Game 3.

Back-to-back nights with a HUGE home run from Andrés Giménez 😤 pic.twitter.com/aqjaIoGI6q

— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025

Later in the third, Nathan Lukes and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit back-to-back singles and Castillo issued a full-count walk to Alejandro Kirk that loaded the bases with one out.

And just like that, Castillo’s night was done.

With Castillo sputtering, Mariners manager Dan Wilson went to his bullpen early. He brought in lefty reliever Gabe Speier, who then surrendered a full-count, bases-loaded walk to Daulton Varsho that made it 3-1. Castillo was charged with three runs and five hits in just 2 1/3 innings.

Daulton Varsho works a walk to extend the @BlueJays lead! pic.twitter.com/foSOzu7o9G

— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025

Toronto added two more runs in the fourth, both of which were charged to Speier. Kiner-Falefa hit a leadoff single, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt and scored on an RBI double by George Springer. Later in the frame, Springer scored on a wild pitch from reliever Matt Brash, which extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 5-1.

George Springer delivers for the @BlueJays yet again 🔥 pic.twitter.com/tiFOjzHIZP

— MLB (@MLB) October 17, 2025

And on a night when Seattle struggled to generate much of anything offensively, that was more than enough for Toronto.

Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, who turned 41 in July and logged a career-worst 5.19 ERA this season, limited the Mariners to just two runs and three hits over 5 2/3 innings in his first start since Sept. 24. Seattle finished the night with just five hits.

The Mariners’ best chance to climb back into the game came in the sixth. Eugenio Suárez pushed a two-out RBI single into right field to make it 5-2, but Addison Barger fielded the ball and threw out Naylor at third base to prevent further damage. If not for the inning-ending out on the base paths, Seattle would have brought the tying run to the plate, with Mitch Garver getting set to pinch-hit for Dominic Canzone.

CANNONNNN TO THE RIGHT OF THEM 🗣️ #WANTITALL pic.twitter.com/UODvaBuz8M

— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) October 17, 2025

Guerrero added a solo homer off reliever Eduard Bazardo in the seventh and Giménez hit a two-run single off Emerson Hancock in the eighth to make it 8-2.

Game 5 is scheduled for 3:08 p.m. Friday at T-Mobile Park. Radio coverage on Seattle Sports will begin at noon with an extended pregame show. The TV broadcast will be on FS1.

More Seattle Mariners ALCS coverage

• Morosi on Mariners: What ALCS Game 4 tells us about Game 5
• Three parallels stand out from Mariners’ ALCS losses to Blue Jays
• Stacy Rost: Where Mariners stand with ALCS vs Blue Jays tied 2-2
• Blue Jays drop slugger from roster for rest of ALCS vs Mariners
• Seattle Mariners name Bryce Miller their Game 5 starter

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