Alejandro Kirk singled in the go-ahead run in a two-run sixth, Jose Soriano pitched seven effective innings and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Seattle Mariners 4-3 Saturday afternoon.
The Blue Jays won their second in a row to open the three-game series on a day when former Blue Jays catcher, manager and broadcaster Buck Martinez was inducted into the Blue Jays’ new Hall of Excellence.
Soriano (11-7) allowed three runs, five hits and two walks while striking out six.
Louis Varland pitched the ninth to earn his 31st save.
Cal Raleigh hit a solo home run for the Mariners.
Seattle took a 1-0 lead in the second when Raleigh lined an elevated 0-1 fastball to right for his 19th homer of the season.
The Mariners added two in the fourth. Josh Naylor singled over the bag at first base with two out and Raleigh and Cole Young walked to load the bases. Taylor Ward lined a first-pitch single to left that scored two runs.
Toronto cut the lead to 3-2 in the fifth. Myles Straw hit an infield single to second with one out and Brett Bateman walked. Eduard Bazardo replaced starter Kade Anderson, who was making his second career major league start, and struck out Kirk before walking Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to load the bases. Springer drew a bases-loaded walk on a wild pitch to force in a run, and Bateman also scored as the ball got away.
Anderson allowed two runs, three hits and three walks with three strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.
Toronto took a 4-3 lead in the sixth against Jose Ferrer (4-3). Charles McAdoo and Straw walked. Bateman grounded an RBI single with two out that found a hole through the left side of the infield. Kirk’s single to right scored the go-ahead run and Carlos Vargas replaced Ferrer.
Vargas retired all seven batters he faced.
Tyler Rogers allowed a two-out walk to Julio Rodriguez in the eighth. Mason Fluharty replaced Rogers and allowed Naylor’s single to right to put runners at the corners before striking out Raleigh.
