Dylan Cease strikes out 9 in 7 innings as Blue Jays blank Mariners 2-0 in ALCS rematch
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease throws against the Seattle Mariners during the first inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Seattle. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
SEATTLE — 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.
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.
Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hits an RBI single to score Andrés Giménez against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Seattle. Credit: AP/Lindsey Wasson
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.
Up next
Blue Jays RHP Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.00 ERA) starts Saturday opposite RHP Logan Gilbert (6-5, 3.42) in the middle game of the series.
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