As far as gut-punch playoff losses go, this one hurt more than most for the Toronto Blue Jays. With a seven-run lead and support from a boisterous sellout crowd, a Game 2 victory seemed like a virtual lock in their wild-card series against Seattle.
The Mariners had other plans. They completed an improbable comeback with a pair of four-run innings before taking the lead in the ninth for a stunning 10-9 win.
Instead of planning for a decisive Game 3 on Sunday at Rogers Centre in Toronto, the Blue Jays were left to ruminate on a crushing defeat that ended their post-season. "We fought and we battled," said Blue Jays closer Jordan Romano. "It just wasn't good enough." Two key moments stood out in Saturday's collapse.
Tim Mayza relieved starter Kevin Gausman in the sixth inning and gave up a three-run homer to Carlos Santana. A couple innings later, J.P.