Blue Jays erupt 13-4, cut Mariners' ALCS lead to 2-1

When the Toronto Blue Jays unloaded a 13‑4 barrage on the Seattle Mariners at T‑Mobile Park on Oct. 15, 2025, the American League Championship Series got a jolt of electricity. The game, which started at 7:05 p.m. Pacific (10:05 a.m. Eastern) and stretched past midnight on the West Coast, turned a two‑game shutout into a nine‑run swing, leaving the series at 2‑1 in Seattle’s favor. In the third inning, a cascade of hits from the Blue Jays’ lineup shattered Seattle’s early 2‑0 lead and set the tone for a night nobody will forget.

Game‑by‑Game Overview

Seattle’s ace, George Kirby, 28, a right‑hander from Lynchburg, Va., entered with a 14‑8 record and a 3.21 ERA. He kept the Blue Jays at bay for two innings, but on the third his command unraveled. After a two‑run homer by Andrés Giménez, 25, the Dominican second baseman, the Mariners watched their lead evaporate as Nathan Lukes slipped on a wild pitch and Daulton Varsho smashed a two‑run double. Kirby was pulled after just 58 pitches, having recorded only two outs in the frame.

On the other side, Shane Bieber, 30, the newly signed Blue Jays starter, delivered six solid innings, allowing four hits, one walk, and striking out eight. He gave up the two early runs but settled down quickly, showing the poise that won him a three‑year, $105 million contract in December 2024.

Key Performances

The night belonged to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., 26, the Dominican first baseman, who posted a four‑hit line with a solo homer, two doubles and three runs scored. His turnaround after going hitless in the first two ALCS games was nothing short of dramatic.

Supporting the power display were three more long balls: George Springer, 35, launched a two‑run shot; Alejandro Kirk, 26, a Mexican catcher, smashed a solo homer; and Addison Barger, 27, added a three‑run blast. The five home runs tied the franchise’s postseason record, first set in the 2016 ALCS.

Manager Reactions

Blue Jays manager John Schneider, 44, told reporters at 12:15 a.m. PT: “Our guys refused to stay down after that rough start. Vlad setting the tone with four hits, Bieber settling in after the first—this is exactly the resilience we’ve seen all season.”

Mariners skipper Scott Servais, 57, responded, “George Kirby didn’t have his command tonight. When you’re up 2‑0 in the series, you can’t give them extra outs like we did in that third inning.”

Statistical Highlights

• Blue Jays tally: 13 runs (most ever by a team that had been shut out in the previous two games of an ALCS).
• Mariners total hits: 7; Blue Jays: 14.
• Five home runs – franchise postseason high, matching the 2016 ALCS mark.
• FiveThirtyEight’s playoff model lifted Toronto’s win probability from 15% pre‑Game 3 to 38% afterward.
• Attendance: 48,123 fans, surpassing the stadium’s typical baseball capacity of 47,929.

Implications for the Series

With the series now 2‑1, Game 4 is slated for Oct. 16 at 8:07 p.m. Eastern, featuring Toronto’s Kevin Gausman, 34, against Seattle’s Logan Gilbert, 28. If the Blue Jays can ride the momentum, a decisive Game 5 could land on Oct. 18 in Seattle, setting up a World Series showdown with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS.

The win also rewrites a piece of postseason lore: ESPN’s Stats & Information notes this is only the third instance in MLB history where a team down 0‑2 turned a game into a nine‑run victory.

Broader Context

Toronto’s first World Series appearance since the early ’90s was already a buzz‑worthy storyline; now the city is buzzing louder than ever. The Blue Jays’ resurgence mirrors a league‑wide trend of younger, power‑focused lineups redefining postseason expectations. For Seattle, the loss forces a reassessment of pitching depth – a topic that analysts at The Athletic are already dissecting.