Blue Jays season over after blowing 8-1 lead to Mariners

The Toronto Blue Jays’ short postseason run is over following a colossal collapse to the Seattle Mariners in Game 2, losing 10-9. The Mariners have won the best-of-three Wild Card Series 2-0, following a 4-0 victory on Friday.

Up 8-1 after five innings, the Blue Jays appeared to be in cruise control with Kevin Gausman on the mound. He gave up just five hits in five and two-thirds innings.

Then they made a pitching change.

Left with the bases loaded and two outs in the sixth inning, the Mariners beat up on the Blue Jays bullpen after that.

Blue Jays reliever Tim Mayza immediately allowed a run on a wild pitch, then gave up three more on a home run to Carlos Santana.

It's not over yet. 👀 #postseason pic.twitter.com/2WPjPieu2n

— MLB (@MLB) October 8, 2022

Toronto was up 9-6 in the eighth inning when a bases-loaded blooper by J.P. Crawford tied the game. Bo Bichette and George Springer each dove for the ball, which fell between them. The Blue Jays teammates were both shaken up on the play, with Springer injured and needing to be carted off the field.

The Mariners tie it after a scary collision between Springer and Bichette. pic.twitter.com/tByWxOcoPA

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 8, 2022

Adam Frazier was the ninth-inning hero for the Mariners, giving Seattle their first lead on an RBI double.

Seattle will move on to face the Houston Astros in the ALDS, allowing the Mariners to host a playoff game for the first time in 21 years. The Blue Jays, meanwhile, haven’t won a postseason game since 2016.

The moment the @Mariners punched their ticket to the ALDS. What a comeback.#SeaUsRise | #Postseason pic.twitter.com/fSAHZFequv

— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) October 9, 2022

“Postseason is great, and postseason sucks, because at some point if you’re not the last team standing, you have to rip the bandaid off and your season’s over,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said when asked about the message he gave his players after the game.

“Couldn’t be more proud of those guys. My lasting message, if anything, was remember how they came together as a group over the last month or so. I think it’s the start of something great… It’s a special group, a group that’s going to be together for a while. Right now, it’s just tough.”

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