Mariners win battle of power with Blue Jays

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Field Level Media
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Jul 21, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Teoscar Hernandez (35) receives a water-bucket dunking from center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) after hitting a walk-off RBI-single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park.
Jul 21, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners designated hitter Teoscar Hernandez (35) receives a water-bucket dunking from center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) after hitting a walk-off RBI-single against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at T-Mobile Park.
Image: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Teoscar Hernandez's two-run double in the bottom of the seventh inning broke a tie as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 9-8 on Saturday afternoon

The teams reprised the All-Star Home Run Derby held earlier this month at T-Mobile Park, combining for seven long balls.

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Seattle hit four solo shots, two by Cal Raleigh and one each by Dylan Moore and Julio Rodriguez.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who won the All-Star derby, went deep for the Blue Jays, as did teammates Kevin Kiermaier and Brandon Belt

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Hernandez, acquired from Toronto in the offseason, drove in the deciding run against his former team for the second straight game, capping a five-run rally.

Trailing 7-4, Ty France was hit by a pitch from Blue Jays reliever Nate Pearson (5-2) leading off the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Moore doubled to center, sending France to third. Kolten Wong lined a run-scoring single to right, and J.P. Crawford grounded a two-run double down the right-field line, tying the score. Yimi Garcia replaced Pearson and hit Rodriguez with a pitch. An out later, Hernandez doubled to left to make it 9-7

Rookie Isaiah Campbell (1-0) earned his first major league victory and Justin Topa got his second save despite allowing a run-scoring single by Cavan Biggio in the ninth.

The Mariners took a 3-0 lead in the third inning. Raleigh led off with a homer to right-center field and Moore went back-to-back with a shot to left. Two outs later, Rodriguez went deep to left

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The Blue Jays got a run back in the fourth as Guerrero hit a one-out double down the left-field line and Matt Chapman followed by lining a run-scoring single to center

Toronto took a 5-3 lead in the fifth with three homers. Kiermaier led off with a shot to right and, following a single by George Springer, Belt belted a two-run homer to center. Guerrero Jr. went back-to-back to left-center.

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Raleigh led off the bottom of the inning with a homer to center.

The Blue Jays scored twice in the top of the seventh to extend their lead to 7-4. Belt led off with a walk and advanced to second on a groundout. With two outs, Daulton Varsho grounded a run-scoring single to center. Alejandro Kirk grounded a single to right field and Varsho scored from first as the ball rolled off Hernandez's glove for an error

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Blue Jays All-Star right-hander Kevin Gausman -- making his first start since the midsummer classic because of discomfort in his left side -- allowed four runs on five hits over six innings. He didn't walk a batter and struck out nine

Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert gave up five runs on eight hits in five innings, with one walk and five strikeouts

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--Field Level Media