Mariners’ Pitching Collapse Threatens ALCS Dream — Can Seattle Bounce Back?

SEATTLE — Talk about a rollercoaster in the American League Championship Series. The Seattle Mariners, who rolled into their home turf boasting a commanding edge, somehow managed to let things slip through their fingers rather rapidly on the pitching front. Luis Castillo delivered another rough outing, marking Seattle’s second shaky start in a row, while Toronto’s Blue Jays seized the moment, hammering the Mariners’ arms in an 8-2 drubbing that knotted the series at two games apiece.

It’s tough to swallow when your starting pitchers give up 11 runs and 13 hits over just 6 1/3 innings across two games — and the bullpen hasn’t fared much better, surrendering a staggering 21 runs, 29 hits, and seven homers over 18 innings. Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh summed it up best, “They’re a solid team — leave a pitch hanging, and they’ll pounce. We’ve gotta sharpen our execution.”

Coming off two pivotal wins on the road in Canada, the Mariners headed back to their buzzworthy, packed house at T-Mobile Park, needing to clinch two of the next three to punch their ticket to the franchise’s inaugural World Series. Everything seemed set just right.

But here’s the kicker — regardless of how Game 5 unfolds, the Mariners must pack their bags and trek back up north to Toronto for the series finale. “When two strong squads clash, this is the battleground,” manager Dan Wilson remarked. “We’ll tweak what we have to and stick to the core strengths that got us here.”

The Mariners’ winning blueprint this year? Top-notch starting pitching paired with a lockdown bullpen and a lineup loaded with power — but while their bats have been busy (three homers in Game 3, another in Game 4), their pitching staff has practically unravelled at home.

It’s a tale of contrasts: Starter George Kirby was shelled for eight runs and eight hits, including three homers, in just four innings during a 13-4 loss. Castillo didn’t last much longer, rattled out after 2 1/3 innings, allowing three runs and five hits, leaving the bases jam-packed. Impressive back-to-back two-run homers from Andrés Giménez off Castillo didn’t help either.

Meanwhile, lefty reliever Gabe Speier struggled — walking in a run and conceding an RBI double to George Springer, who then scored on a wild pitch. Adding to the woes, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smoked his fifth postseason homer off Eduard Bazardo. Yet, Speier kept his chin up, acknowledging the Blue Jays’ heat at the plate and vowing to keep attacking. Wilson echoed that resilience, emphasizing a return to their hallmark aggressive strike zone pitching as the way forward.

Josh Naylor’s early solo shot off the crafty Max Scherzer offered a glimmer of hope, and his flawless 3-for-3 night at bat was impressive. Still, the rest of the Mariners lineup faltered miserably, going just 2-for-26, and a costly baserunning error by Naylor cutting short a rally was a gut punch. Veteran shortstop J.P. Crawford laid it out plainly: the only plan for Game 5 is to shake off the sting of recent disappointments and bring their A-game. “Tomorrow’s the day. Rest up, stay sharp, and compete,” he said.

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SEATTLE — After coming home with a huge advantage in the American League Championship Series, the Seattle Mariners quickly squandered it on the mound.

Luis Castillo turned in Seattle’s second consecutive shaky start and the Toronto Blue Jays pounded Mariners pitching again in an 8-2 victory that tied the best-of-seven ALCS at two games apiece.

Seattle starters have given up 11 runs and 13 hits in 6 1/3 innings over the past two games, and the entire staff has allowed 21 runs, 29 hits and seven homers in 18 innings.

“They’re a good team,” Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh said. “When you leave pitches in the middle, they usually take advantage. So we’ve just got to do a better job of executing.”

After winning twice on the road in Canada, the Mariners arrived home to sellout crowds needing two wins in three potential games in their own ballpark to reach the franchise’s first World Series.

It seemed an ideal setup.

Now, no matter what occurs in Game 5, they’re going to have to travel north of the border once again to try to close out the series in Toronto.

“This is two good teams going at it,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said. “This is what the Championship Series is all about. We will make our adjustments and continue to do the things that we do that make us successful as well.”

The winning formula for the AL West champion Mariners this year has been no secret to the rest of the league: They had strong starting pitching and a stingy bullpen, and their lineup is stacked with home run hitters.

Seattle hit three homers in Game 3 and another in Game 4, but the pitching staff has flopped at T-Mobile Park.

Mariners starter George Kirby was rocked for eight runs and eight hits — including three homers — in four innings of a 13-4 loss. The 32-year-old Castillo didn’t even last that long. He left with the bases loaded and was charged with three runs and five hits on 48 pitches in 2 1/3 innings.

No. 9 batter Andrés Giménez homered off Castillo — the second two-run shot for Giménez in two days.

Left-handed reliever Gabe Speier walked in a run and gave up an RBI double to George Springer, who scored on Matt Brash’s wild pitch to make it 5-1 in the fourth.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. connected off Eduard Bazardo in the seventh for his fifth postseason homer.

“They’re a good hitting team, and we’re aggressive with our pitches,” Speier said. “They got us in the last two, for sure. We’re going to continue to attack. We need to play a little bit better, throw a little bit better pitches. But other than that, keep attacking.”

Wilson also insisted the Mariners will keep going right at Blue Jays hitters with strikes.

“On the mound, we attack the zone, and we just need to continue to get back to that,” he said. “That’s what we do well, and we’ll get back to that tomorrow and bounce back in the series.”

Josh Naylor hit an early solo homer off 41-year-old Toronto starter Max Scherzer and finished 3 for 3 at the plate, but the rest of the Mariners went 2 for 26 combined. And their best chance at a comeback was thwarted when Naylor made a baserunning blunder to end the sixth, getting thrown out at third base on an RBI single by Eugenio Suárez.

Seattle shortstop J.P. Crawford, the longest-tenured player on the Mariners roster, said the plan for Game 5 is simple: flush the bad feelings from the last two games and get ready to play.

“Our game is tomorrow,” Crawford said. “Be ready for that. Get some good sleep and be ready to compete tomorrow.”