Blue Jays hang on to beat Mariners as closer Jordan Romano escapes ninth-inning jam

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Pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal singled home the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning and closer Jordan Romano escaped a ninth-inning jam as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Sunday to prevent a three-game sweep.

Seattle put runners on second and third with one out in the ninth, but Romano struck out Julio Rodríguez on a 2-2 slider and retired Eugenio Suárez on a flyout for his 27th save.

"It takes a certain kind of mindset to do that against the middle of their order," Toronto manager John Schneider said. "He seems to really kind of bear down and lock it in. He’s one of the best (closers) in the league for a reason."

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Jordan Romano #68 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after defeating the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park on July 23, 2023 in Seattle, Washington. The Toronto Blue Jays won 4-3.  (Alika Jenner/Getty Images)

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Brandon Belt each homered for the second straight game, helping the Blue Jays rebound from blowing late leads in one-run losses Friday and Saturday.

It was yet another tight game between the teams. Ten of their past 11 matchups have been decided by one run or in extra innings, including all six games this season.

"That was a heck of a series," Seattle manager Scott Servais said. "Every game right down to the final pitch. Our guys really competed their tails off.

"You’re hoping (for) a little bit more magic there at the end. It just didn’t happen today."

Toronto’s Whit Merrifield led off the seventh with a walk, advanced to second on Daulton Varsho’s sacrifice bunt and scored the go-ahead run on Espinal’s one-out single