A tough first inning proved costly for Alek Manoah and the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.
The way Seattle Mariners starter Luis Castillo threw, there was no room for error for the Torontonians.
The Mariners muzzled a packed house at Rogers Center with three runs in the first inning and won 4-0 in Game 1 of a best-of-three series.
The Mariners prevented the Blue Jays from coming from behind and the Canadian club is now backed into the wall. Another setback would see the Queen City team’s playoffs come to an end.
“They took advantage of my mistakes,” noted Manoah, who was on the mound for five and two-thirds innings.
Cal Raleigh hit a two-run homer in the first inning after Eugenio Suárez allowed Julio Rodriguez to cross home with a double. The Mariners solidified their lead with another run in the fifth.
Luis Castillo, who stayed on the mound for 108 pitches, allowed six hits in more than seven innings of work.
“We managed our hits well, but we weren’t able to get the big hits when we had runners on base,” Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said. He was very good [Castillo]. It deserves to be underlined. »
Reliever Andres Munoz took care of striking out the Canadian club’s last five batters. Suárez had two hits while Rodriguez crossed home plate twice.
For the Blue Jays, George Springer and Matt Chapman each had a two-hit game. John Schneider’s men sent two runners on base in the third and fifth, but were shut out anyway.
“These are important moments,” Schneider said. When you’re up against such a good pitcher and you have runners on base, you want to take advantage of it and hit it big. »
“It’s hard to do against a guy like him and even harder when you have two outs. So you take it for what it is today and move on. »
Manoah, playing his first game in the series, matched his worst performance of the season allowing four runs. Tim Mayza, Yimi Garcia, Zach Pop, Trevor Richards and Adam Cimber came in relief.
The Blue Jays have confirmed that Kevin Gausman will start Saturday’s game. Robbie Ray, who won the Cy-Young with the Blue Jays last year, will start the Mariners in Game 2.
“We’re used to playing decisive games,” Chapman said. I think today a lot of guys played their first playoff game and learned a lot. They were able to live what was it. »
If a third meeting is necessary, it will be played on Sunday afternoon at the Rogers Centre.
“That’s what we’ve worked for all year — to get the home court advantage,” Manoah said. It’s a best-of-three series, so we’ll be back tomorrow. »
In the first playoff game at Rogers Center since 2016, the duel was played in front of a packed house of 47,402 spectators.
A renewed training
Prior to the game, the Blue Jays named infielder Santiago Espinal to their 26-man roster, but not injured outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr.
Espinal (oblique) and Gurriel Jr. (hamstring) both trained and raced around the trails Thursday at Rogers Center. But it wasn’t until Friday morning, a few hours before the first match, that their status was confirmed.
Reserve receiver Gabriel Moreno was also included in the active roster, as was left-handed reliever Yusei Kikuchi. Reserve outfielder Bradley Zimmer was left out.
The decision to include Moreno allows the Blue Jays to rely on three receivers and gives them the flexibility to move Alejandro Kirk or Danny Jansen into a designated hitter role, should it become necessary.
As for Kikuchi, he’s struggled in a starting role this season, but has improved lately after being moved to the bullpen. He adds to the team a powerful left arm that can be used in long relief.
Zimmer has been used in a limited way this season, mostly as an emergency runner or as a defensive measure late in games.