Mariners’ Epic Grand Slam Puts Seattle One Win Away from First World Series

When Eugenio Suárez connected with a 98-mph fastball in the bottom of the eighth, the roar that erupted from T-Mobile Park could be heard across Puget Sound. The Seattle Mariners, down to their final six outs and teetering on the edge of elimination, had just pulled off one of the most dramatic comebacks in franchise history — capped by a thunderous opposite-field grand slam that now has the entire city dreaming of a World Series berth.

The Mariners’ 6–2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series wasn’t just a victory; it was an exorcism of decades of near-misses and heartbreaks. After years of waiting, Seattle is now just one win away from reaching the World Series for the first time in franchise history.

The Comeback That Shook Seattle

For much of the night, the Blue Jays looked poised to take control of the series. Veteran ace Kevin Gausman was dominant through five innings, limiting Seattle’s lineup to three hits while Toronto built a 2–1 lead behind an RBI double from George Springer and a clutch run-scoring single from Ernie Clement.

But baseball is cruel to the overconfident — and kind to the relentless.

In the bottom of the eighth, Blue Jays manager John Schneider made a fateful decision: bringing in left-hander Brendon Little, hoping to exploit switch-hitter Cal Raleigh’s weaker side. Instead, Raleigh — affectionately known in Seattle as “The Big Dumper” — turned on a pitch and launched it over the left-field fence, tying the game at 2–2 and sending T-Mobile Park into chaos.

It was Raleigh’s 64th home run of the year — and one of the most meaningful of his career.
And as it turned out, it was only the beginning.

Suárez’s Slam Seals the Miracle

After Raleigh’s blast, the Mariners’ patience paid off. Little issued back-to-back walks, forcing Schneider to turn to right-hander Seranthony Domínguez, who promptly hit Randy Arozarena to load the bases.

That brought up Eugenio Suárez, already with a solo home run earlier in the game. The crowd was on its feet, sensing something special. On a 1-1 count, Suárez crushed a 98-mph heater to right field — an opposite-field grand slam that ignited pandemonium.

“Bedlam reigned at T-Mobile,” as USA TODAY aptly described it. The Mariners had turned a 2–1 deficit into a 6–2 lead with one swing. For a franchise that has endured 48 seasons without a pennant, the moment felt almost mythic.

Manager Dan Wilson said it best afterward:

“Our guys know what it takes to fight from this position. They’ve done it all year — inning one to nine, never backing down. That fight came through again tonight.”

A Rollercoaster Game 5

Seattle’s pitching staff — led by Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo — weathered heavy pressure from the Blue Jays’ lineup. Miller threw four scoreless innings before being pulled after a leadoff single in the fifth. The bullpen faltered briefly, allowing Toronto to tie and later take the lead, but ultimately held the line long enough for the offense to deliver.

Woo, pitching for the first time since September after recovering from a pectoral injury, gave up two runs in the sixth but steadied himself to retire the side. From there, the Mariners bullpen slammed the door shut.

Meanwhile, the Blue Jays suffered a major blow when George Springer was hit on the right knee by a 95.6-mph sinker in the fifth inning. Though he drove in Toronto’s first run earlier, the injury forced him to leave the game — a turning point that sapped energy from the visiting dugout.

A City on the Brink of Baseball Glory

Seattle fans have endured heartbreak before — from the 2001 record-setting team that fell short in the ALCS, to decades of playoff droughts. But this team feels different. With a mix of homegrown stars like Julio Rodríguez and clutch veterans like Suárez and Arozarena, the 2025 Mariners have built their identity around resilience.

Now, that identity has them standing one step from baseball immortality.

The Mariners will head to Toronto’s Rogers Centre for Game 6 on October 19, needing just one win to clinch their first-ever American League pennant. For a city starved for October triumphs, the anticipation is electric.

If Suárez’s grand slam was any indication, Seattle’s destiny may already be written — in roaring cheers, flying rally towels, and the echo of a city that’s finally daring to believe.

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