Blue Jays tie ALCS with 8-2 win over Mariners in Game 4 pubbed

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This is a breaking news update. The file will be updated. A previous version of the story follows below.

Seattle scored an early run in the second inning of the game, jumping out to a 1-0 lead. But the Blue Jays soon answered back, scoring three runs in the third and two more in the fourth to bring the score to 5-1.

The Mariners managed to bring another runner home in the bottom of the sixth, trimming Toronto's lead to 5-2.

But Blue Jays slugger Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Added some padding by crushing a solo home run in the seventh inning, pushing the score to 6-2.

Toronto added two more runs in the eighth inning, courtesy of an RBI single from Andrés Giménez, running up the lead to 8-2.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa led off the fourth with a leadoff single, then advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt from Giménez. Toronto slugger George Springer then hit an RBI double to cash in a run from Kiner-Falefa, bringing the Blue Jays' lead to 4-1.

They added another run when Seattle reliever Matt Brash threw a wild pitch, which allowed Springer to score, extending the lead to 5-1.

In the top of the third inning, Giménez — for the second night in a row — hit a two-run home run, giving his team a 2-1 lead.

Seattle starter Luis Castillo then loaded the bases and was pulled from the game. He had only recorded seven outs when he left the game.

Reliever Gabe Speier then walked Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho to bring another run home, extending Toronto's lead to 3-1 at that time.

The Mariners put the first run on the board in the second inning — a leadoff solo home run from Canadian Josh Naylor, putting Seattle ahead 1-0 briefly.

The Blue Jays also benefitted from a very solid start from 41-year-old veteran Max Scherzer, who took Toronto through the first half of Game 4 before being pulled.

Scherzer escaped the first inning unscathed after walking a couple of runners. Naylor's home run to start off the second was the first blemish for the veteran starter, but he managed to coax three outs after that, getting himself out of further trouble in the second.

He got through the third inning without surrendering a run, and managed to pick off Seattle's Leo Rivas at first base. He also struck out Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh.

Scherzer also made it through the fourth and fifth innings without any runs.

When John Schneider visited the mound in the fifth, Scherzer indicated he wanted to stay in the game, and the Jays manager let him. He returned in the sixth and recorded two outs, but after walking Jorge Polanco, Schneider was back to take the ball from his starter.

The Blue Jays are looking to pull even with the Mariners, who hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

The Mariners beat the Blue Jays in the first two games of the ALCS, as Toronto struggled to put runs on the board — with Seattle winning 3-1 in Sunday's Game 1, and 10-3 in Monday's Game 2.

But Toronto's offensive fortunes changed dramatically in last night's Game 3, when five Blue Jays hit home runs and helped pummel the Mariners to a final score of 13-4.

Scherzer has pitched in big games before, amassing 143 innings of post-season action during his long MLB career, prior to Thursday's start.

Following a rough end to the regular season, Scherzer was left off the roster for the American League Division Series where Toronto eliminated the New York Yankees.

Kirk, the Blue Jays catcher, said he expected to see Scherzer bring the same "winning mentality" to Game 4 that he always brings when on the mound.

"I have seen that every day from him, so that's what I expect from him," Kirk told reporters ahead of the game, via an interpreter.

The Blue Jays don't want to lose Game 4, as that would turn Game 5 — and any potential game after that — into a must-win situation for Toronto.

On Thursday afternoon, the Jays had signalled that Anthony Santander wouldn't be in the starting lineup for Toronto during Game 4, due to back stiffness.

Roughly an hour before gametime, the team announced that he'd been pulled from the ALCS roster due to injury.

He's being replaced by outfielder Joey Loperfido.

Toronto intends to send Kevin Gausman, who started Game 1, back to the mound for Game 5 on Friday. Seattle will counter with Bryce Miller, who was the winning pitcher in Sunday's Game 1.

"Obviously, pitched well against Toronto in the first game and we're looking forward to giving him the ball tomorrow," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said Thursday.

The winner of the ALCS will advance to the World Series, to play the winner of the parallel National League Championship Series — either the Milwaukee Brewers or the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Toronto is hoping to secure its first World Series berth in more than three decades, while Seattle is fighting to reach the Fall Classic for the first time ever.

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