Yusei Kikuchi shows Mariners what they lost in Blue Jays win

By: Mike Wilner - Baseball Columnist, Toronto Star Posted: 9:50 PM CDT Monday, May. 16, 2022 Last Modified: 10:25 PM CDT Monday, May. 16, 2022

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Three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre on Monday:

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Three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre on Monday:

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 16/05/2022 (1257 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Three things you need to know about the Blue Jays’ 6-2 win over the Seattle Mariners at the Rogers Centre on Monday:

Special delivery

Yusei Kikuchi faced his former team for the first time and utterly dominated his old mates. The lefty pitched nine years in Japan before being lured to North America by the Mariners, and spent his first three seasons in the Pacific Northwest before signing with the Jays in March. Monday night, Kikuchi delivered his third straight outstanding start, allowing just one hit over six shutout innings with three walks and six strikeouts. The only Mariners safety was a ground-ball double by Jesse Winker leading off the fifth, just out of the reach of a lunging Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Steve Russell - Toronto Star
Blue Jay Matt Chapman gets the home run jacket and the sunflower seed treatment — courtesy of Teoscar Hernández, with manager Charlie Montoyo looking on — after his second-inning blast in Monday night’s win over the Mariners at the Rogers Centre. — Steve Russell - Toronto Star Blue Jay Matt Chapman gets the home run jacket and the sunflower seed treatment — courtesy of Teoscar Hernández, with manager Charlie Montoyo looking on — after his second-inning blast in Monday night’s win over the Mariners at the Rogers Centre.

Adjusting on the fly

The game could easily have turned in the top of the seventh. Seattle had the bases loaded with two out, down 3-1, when Ty France hit a ground ball in the hole between shortstop and third base. Bo Bichette ranged to his right to collect it, but had to double-clutch. By the time he was ready to throw, he was nearly face-to-face with umpire Ryan Wills, who was working in that spot because the umpiring crew was a man short. Still on the move, Bichette quickly got clear of Wills and made a strong throw to first to end the inning and the threat.

Boost off the bench

After narrowly escaping that Seattle rally in the seventh, the Jays got some badly needed breathing room in the bottom of the frame with something we haven’t seen nearly enough of from them this season: a big hit with runners in scoring position. With Guerrero at first and Bichette at second, Alejandro Kirk came in to pinch-hit for Vinny Capra, and the first pitch from Wyatt Mills sailed to the backstop, advancing both runners. The next pitch was a fastball down the pipe and Kirk sent it right back where it came from, a hard line single up the middle to score both runners.

Mike Wilner is a Toronto-based baseball columnist for the Star and host of the baseball podcast “Deep Left Field.” Follow him on Twitter: @wilnerness