By Canadian Press

Bichette homers, Bassitt makes quality start as Blue Jays top Mariners 5-3

Apr 9, 2024 | 8:24 PM

TORONTO — Bo Bichette hit a two-run homer and Chris Bassitt threw 6 2/3 solid innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 5-3 on Tuesday night at Rogers Centre.

Bichette went deep off Seattle starter George Kirby (1-2) in Toronto’s three-run third inning. The Blue Jays tacked on two more runs in the fourth en route to securing their first series win of the season.

Bassitt’s lone blemish was a Dominic Canzone solo homer in the seventh. Blue Jays reliever Trevor Richards gave up a two-run shot to Mitch Haniger in the eighth.

Chad Green recorded four outs for his second save.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa had three of Toronto’s 11 hits. The Mariners (4-8), who had six hits, have dropped six of seven.

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The Blue Jays (6-6) lost two series and split the other on their season-opening 10-game road trip. Toronto will try to complete a three-game sweep of the Mariners on Wednesday afternoon.

Bassitt (1-2) was one of Toronto’s most consistent pitchers last season with a 16-8 record and 3.60 earned-run average over 200 innings. But he started slowly this year and battled some control issues early against the Mariners.

The right-hander issued walks in each of the first three innings but escaped unscathed. Cavan Biggio and Bichette helped deliver a slick 4-6-3 double-play to end the top of the third.

Daulton Varsho singled in the bottom half and took second base when Kirby was called for a disengagement violation. George Springer drove him in with a single to put Toronto on the board. 

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. reached when Springer was forced out at second base and scored on Bichette’s first homer of the season. The blast landed in the 200-level seating above the Toronto bullpen after travelling an estimated 431 feet.

In the fourth inning, Kiner-Falefa drove in Biggio with an RBI double and later scored on an RBI single by Springer.

Former Blue Jays right-hander Trent Thornton came on in the fifth and pitched a single frame for Seattle. Kirby allowed eight hits and five earned runs to go with three strikeouts. 

The Blue Jays loaded the bases in the seventh inning but southpaw reliever Gabe Speier got Alejandro Kirk to fly out.

Canzone’s homer was his third of the season while Haniger’s blast just inside the left-field foul screen was his second of the year.

Bassitt allowed five hits, one earned run and issued four walks. He had eight strikeouts and lowered his ERA from 7.71 to 5.06.

After a sellout crowd of over 40,000 took in the home opener a night earlier, announced attendance was 31,310. The game took two hours 53 minutes to play.

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The teams will close out the series with a mid-afternoon start. Left-hander Yusei Kikuchi (0-1, 2.79) was tabbed to pitch for Toronto against right-hander Logan Gilbert (0-0, 3.55).

COMING UP

Both teams have off-days Thursday. 

The Blue Jays will continue their nine-game homestand Friday with the opener of a three-game series against the Colorado Rockies. 

The Mariners will return to T-Mobile Park for a six-game homestand starting with a weekend series against the Chicago Cubs.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 9, 2024. 

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Gregory Strong, The Canadian Press