Max Scherzer Rolls Back Years As Blue Jays Even Alcs With Win Over Mariners

Max Scherzer turned backmost nan timepiece pinch a vintage pitching capacity and Andrés Giménez homered and drove successful 4 runs arsenic nan Toronto Blue Jays hit nan Seattle Mariners 8-2 connected Thursday to moreover nan American League Championship Series astatine 2 games apiece.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr deed his 5th homer this postseason and nan 41-year-old Scherzer allowed 2 runs successful 5 and two-thirds innings for nan Blue Jays, who person outscored nan Mariners 21-6 successful Seattle aft losing nan first 2 games astatine home.

Game 5 successful nan best-of-seven bid is Friday, pinch Kevin Gausman scheduled to commencement for Toronto against Game 1 victor Bryce Miller.

Scherzer, making his 500th awesome convention start, regular play and postseason combined, became nan oldest pitcher to commencement a postseason crippled since Jamie Moyer was 45 for nan Philadelphia Phillies successful nan 2008 World Series.

The seasoned right-hander yielded 3 hits, 1 of which was a solo location tally by Josh Naylor successful nan 2nd inning. Scherzer settled successful from there, and was not removed until head John Schneider’s 2nd mound visit.

With 2 outs successful nan fifth, Schneider and Scherzer concisely exchanged words connected nan mound for nan first time, and nan three-time Cy Young Award appeared to show Schneider he wasn’t coming retired of nan crippled astatine that point.

Schneider near Scherzer successful and he promptly struck retired Randy Arozarena swinging pinch a curveball, 1 of a profession high-tying six whiffs Scherzer induced pinch his curve, earlier pounding his mitt successful celebration.

The Blue Jays’ offense, meanwhile, picked up wherever it near disconnected after scoring 13 runs successful Game 3. Giménez deed a two-run homer successful nan 3rd inning for nan 2nd consecutive day, this 1 disconnected starter Luis Castillo to springiness Toronto a lead they didn’t relinquish. The Blue Jays tacked connected different tally successful nan inning chasing Castillo erstwhile reliever Gabe Speier walked successful a run.

Toronto added to its advantage successful nan 4th connected an RBI double from George Springer, who came astir to people connected a chaotic transportation by Matt Brash. Guerrero, who singled earlier successful nan game, smacked an opposite-field homer to correct nan seventh disconnected Eduard Bazardo.

Guerrero leads nan fields successful homers this postseason.

Giménez tacked connected 2 security runs successful nan eighth pinch a two-run azygous up nan mediate that deflected disconnected reliever Emerson Hancock’s glove.

Miller has a 2.61 ERA successful 2 playoff starts this October while Gaustman, a two-time All-Star, is 1-3 pinch a 4.14 ERA successful 10 profession postseason games.