After taking the series win against the Braves, Toronto hosts the back half of their six game homestand against the Seattle Mariners, with game one being some Friday night excitement on Apple TV. The Blue Jays have been confident in their play over the last couple of games, taking two straight against Atlanta to end that series, and getting to ride the wave and stay at home has Toronto in good spirits coming into this three game affair with the Mariners. On the mound, Toronto would go to Bowden Francis and Seattle would go with their guy in Bryan Woo.

Toronto would get on the board in the first inning, after Bo Bichette would lead off the game with a single, would steal second base safely, and after being moved over to third thanks to a Vladdy Guerrero groundout, would be able to come across home plate after Anthony Santander would send a sac fly into left field to give the Jays an early 1-0 lead.

Seattle would come back in the tip of the second, when former Blue Jay Rowdy Tellez would strike a solo homer into the right field bleachers to even the score up at 1-1.

Toronto would come back to the plate in the bottom of the second, and they weren’t done scoring runs yet, after they loaded the bases and Alan Roden sent his own high fly ball into left field that would be deep enough to score George Springer from third, making a sac fly and an RBI for Roden, and a 2-1 Blue Jays lead.

Franics was doing a great job in this one at limiting base runners and overall scoring opportunities for Seattle, and the Jays would take advantage in the bottom of the fourth when George Springer would hit a leadoff double, move up to third with only one out, and have Alejandro Kirk line a base hit into center field to cash in the Jay’s third run of the ballgame.

From that point on, it would be a complete pitching and defence game, as the score would remain at 3-1 for the rest of the contest. Addison Barger showed off his cannon arm for the Jays in this one after being called up from Triple-A, throwing out two runners from right field.

Jeff Hoffman came into the game to close it out, and the Blue Jays would take their third straight win at home with the 3-1 victory in the opening game of the series.

Overall this was a great win for the team, displaying a very textbook and structured offensive game and a great all around pitching display once again from the staff. The Jays play game two of their series on Saturday, as Jose Berrios steps to the mound to take the the series win.

Winner: Toronto Blue Jays (12-8)

Loser: Seattle Mariners (10-10)

PLAYERS OF THE GAME:

A. Kirk: 1/2, RBI, BB

G. Springer: 2/4, 2B, 2R

W. Wagner: 2/3

PITCHERS:

Win – B. Francis: 6.0IP, 5H, 1ER, 5K (2-2)

Loss – B. Woo: 7.0IP, 7H, 3ER, 4K (2-1)

Save – J. Hoffman: 1.0IP, 0H, 0ER, 2K (5)