Mariners blank Blue Jays in first playoff game since 2001

EditorsNote: adds quotes from both managers, new last graf on Springer X-rays, Par 6, changed on to in – “obtained in a trade”

Oct 7, 2022; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Seattle Mariners third baseman Eugenio Suarez (28) takes batting practice before the game against the Toronto Blue Jays in game one of the Wild Card series for the 2022 MLB Playoffs at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports

TORONTO — Right-hander Luis Castillo pitched 7 1/3 innings, Cal Raleigh homered and the visiting Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 4-0 Friday in the opener of an American League wild-card series.

Castillo (1-0) allowed six hits and a hit batter while striking out five.

Raleigh’s two-run home run keyed a three-run first inning for the Mariners, who were playing in their first postseason game since 2001.

Toronto right-hander Alek Manoah (0-1) allowed four runs, four hits, one walk and two hit batters while striking out four in 5 2/3 innings.

“(Castillo) was throwing a 100-mph sinker. He had great stuff today,” Blue Jays interim manager John Schneider said. “You’ve got to give him credit. (Manoah) did a good job today. That was an uncharacteristic first.”

Castillo was obtained in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on July 29 and Mariners manager Scott Servais said his impact was noticeable.

“You could clearly see early on that (Castillo) is wired for these moments,” Servais said. “He was in control of the strike zone. He was in command. He enjoys being on the big stage.

“That’s how we have been playing all season long. It was a very challenging environment and we handled it very well today.”

The second game of the best-of-three series will be played Saturday afternoon.

Julio Rodriguez was hit by a pitch to lead off the first. He took second on a groundout and scored on Eugenio Suarez’s double. Raleigh followed with a home run to right.

After a second-inning walk, Manoah retired nine batters in a row before he hit Rodriguez with a pitch again with one out in the fifth. Rodriguez took third on Ty France’s single to right and scored on Suarez’s fielder’s choice grounder to third.

Tim Mayza replaced Manoah with two outs and nobody on base in the sixth to end the inning on a groundout.

Mayza retired the first two batters in the seventh before Yimi Garcia replaced him and allowed a single to Rodriguez before retiring France on a comebacker.

Castillo, meanwhile, pitched around two singles in the second, the third and the fifth. After tossing just two strikeouts over the first six innings, he struck out the side in the bottom of the seventh.

Suarez led off the eighth for Seattle with a single against Zach Pop and took third on Mitch Haniger’s one-out double to left. Trevor Richards replaced Pop and worked out of the jam with a strikeout and a groundout.

Castillo hit George Springer on the wrist with a pitch with one out in the home eighth and was replaced by Andres Munoz, who completed the inning with a flyout and a groundout.

Adam Cimber replaced Richards after J.P. Crawford walked with one out in the ninth.

Munoz pitched around Matt Chapman’s two-out double in the bottom of the ninth. Munoz had two strikeouts in his 1 2/3 innings.

Schneider said X-rays on Springer’s wrist were negative.

–By Larry Millson, Field Level Media