Dylan Cease strikes out 9 in 7 innings as Blue Jays blank Mariners 2-0 in ALCS rematch
Dylan Cease struck out nine in seven sharp innings to pitch the Toronto Blue Jays past the Seattle Mariners 2-0 in a rematch of last year’s American League Championship Series
SEATTLE (AP) — 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.
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.
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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.
Copyright 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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