Seattle Mariners seize Game 5 over Blue Jays, avoiding ‘historical misery’

Friday was another big day for the Seattle Mariners and their fans. The M’s beat the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of Major League Baseball's American League Championship Series at T-Mobile Park Friday. The series was tied two-two. The winner of the best-of-seven game series moves on to the World Series.

KUOW’s Rob Wood got this mid-series update from Seattle Now producer and sports reporter Vaughan Jones before the Mariners' Friday night victory.

This interview has been edited for clarity.

Rob Wood: For someone just tuning in to this dramatic moment, what do they need to know about how the M's got here and why is it a big deal?

Vaughan Jones: With two wins in the ALCS, this is tied for the closest the Mariners have ever been in franchise history to the World Series. So that's a big deal. They haven't been this close since 1995.

I think it's important when we talk about how they got here, to talk about the trade deadline. They were on the edge of the playoff picture in late July, and they made two big trades to reacquire third baseman Eugenio “Geno” Suárez and acquire first baseman Josh Naylor. Naylor has been especially instrumental in getting them here. The additions helped the Mariners surge in September and win their division for the first time since 2001, which has allowed them to get here.

Tonight is the last home game of this series before the teams head back to Toronto. This has essentially turned into a best-of-three series. Whoever wins two games first gets to go to the World Series.

What have been some of the highlights for you so far in the M’s playoff run?

Just a week ago, the Mariners were playing a do-or-die game against the Detroit Tigers, which went 15 innings before the Mariners won in walk-off fashion. The celebration at T-Mobile Park registered with local earthquake monitors that night it was so loud and so raucous.

I think we can't talk about the playoff run without talking about some specific players. Second baseman Jorge Polanco has been fantastic through the Mariners' first seven postseason games, as has star catcher Cal Raleigh and star outfielder Julio Rodriguez, but they all struggled in Thursday night's loss.

What are the M's players and coaches saying about the series?

Mariners Manager Dan Wilson spoke to the media earlier today. The tenor from him and the Mariners' players after each of these last two losses is, turn the page, “be a goldfish,” to quote Ted Lasso — have a short memory and fight back. Wilson says the team has thrived in this sort of environment all season. The Mariners' postseason slogan this year is "seize the moment." Wilson says the team is ready to do that.

Baseball is a very tricky thing, so if you think too hard, you might overthink and struggle as a hitter or pitcher. The Mariners want to just bring a clean slate to the ballpark today.

You checked in with some fans earlier. What are you hearing from them?

I spoke to some Blue Jays' fans who came down from Canada to see the game. They are feeling pretty confident. As for Mariners' fans, it is a mixed bag. Tensions are very high. One couple I talked to, Don and Shelley Sagmo, are longtime season-ticket holders. They are not surprised that the Mariners have sort of backed themselves into a corner here:

I also spoke to "Captain Abe," who was waiting in line with a shimmery jacket and a captain's hat. He also feels conflicted — overall positive, but also wary of a letdown based on previous experience.

There's historical misery tied to the Mariners that fans very much don't want to happen yet again. They're sort of holding themselves off and expecting a little bit of heartbreak.

Has anything surprised you so far about this series?

I'm not particularly surprised at how well the Mariners have played in Toronto this series. They generally play well up north. I am surprised at just how poorly they've played at home. The offense has gone pretty silent, and even with the home crowd sort of invested in the game, they're still searching for these big moments to keep everyone in it and cheering.

For the M's to pick it back up and get the win in these next few games, guys like Randy Arozarena and Eugenio “Geno” Suárez need to have big moments. They've been ice cold this entire series, so big games from them would be a delightful surprise for Mariners' fans.

Listen to the interview by clicking the play button above.