TORONTO – Needing six outs to force a Game 7 of the American League Championship Series, Blue Jays manager John Schneider went to his best.
After Friday’s bullpen meltdown in Seattle, there were no questions about matchups, handedness or saving a reliever for later. The eighth and ninth innings were Jeff Hoffman’s, and the closer delivered the two most important innings he has thrown so far as a Blue Jay, closing out Toronto’s 6-2 win over the Mariners to force Game 7 of the ALCS on Monday night at Rogers Centre.
The heart of the Mariners’ order was due up in the eighth, with switch-hitting catcher Cal Raleigh leading off, followed by switch-hitter Jorge Polanco and lefty Josh Naylor. That was the same situation the Blue Jays faced in Game 5, although they were leading by one at th