Blue Jays get homers from Guerrero and Belt before Romano holds off the Mariners, 4-3 #Blue #Jays #homers #Guerrero #Belt #Romano #holds #Mariners

SEATTLE (AP) — Pinch-hitter Santiago Espinal singled home the tiebreaking run in the seventh inning and closer Jordan Romano escaped a ninth-inning jam as the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Sunday to prevent a three-game sweep.

Seattle put runners on second and third with one out in the ninth, but Romano struck out Julio Rodríguez on a 2-2 slider and retired Eugenio Suárez on a flyout for his 27th save.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Brandon Belt each homered for the second straight game, helping the Blue Jays rebound from blowing late leads in one-run losses Friday and Saturday.

Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez, left, celebrates after crossing home plate as Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk, right, looks on during the third inning of a baseball game, Saturday, July 22, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Jason Redmond)

J.P. Crawford and Teoscar Hernández both had two-run doubles as part of Seattle’s five-run seventh inning against Toronto’s bullpen, and the Mariners rallied for a wild 9-8 win over the Blue Jays.

Seattle Mariners' Ty France is greeted in the dugout after scoring on a single by Mike Ford during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Toronto Blue Jays, Friday, July 21, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

Teoscar Hernández lined a two-out RBI single in the bottom of the ninth to score Jose Caballero and the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 3-2 win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

Seattle Mariners starting pitcher George Kirby throws against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning of a baseball game, Thursday, July 20, 2023, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)

George Kirby matched his career high with 10 strikeouts over seven innings, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Minnesota Twins 5-0.

In this image taken from video, Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic gets emotional as he speaks with reporters in the dugout before a baseball game, Thursday, July 20, 2203, in Seattle. Kelenic's emotional outburst after a tough at-bat Wednesday resulted in a damaged water cooler, a broken bone in his left foot and had the Seattle Mariners young left fielder apologizing for his actions. He was placed on the 10-day injured list on Thursday. (AP Photo/Tim Booth)

Seattle Mariners outfielder Jarred Kelenic was placed on the 10-day injured list with a broken bone in his left foot after kicking a water cooler following a ninth-inning strikeout the night before.

It was yet another tight game between the teams. Ten of their past 11 matchups have been decided by one run or in extra innings, including all six games this season.

Toronto’s Whit Merrifield led off the seventh with a walk, advanced to second on Daulton Varsho’s sacrifice bunt and scored the go-ahead run on Espinal’s one-out single off reliever Tayler Saucedo.

Guerrero tied it at 2 in the fourth, lining a two-run shot that landed just over the right-field wall for his 17th homer. It was his fourth in nine games since winning the All-Star Home Run Derby in Seattle this month.

Belt hit a go-ahead solo shot in the sixth that bounced off right fielder Teoscar Hernández’s glove on a leaping attempt at the wall. It was Belt’s eighth homer of the season.

Seattle pinch-hitter Dylan Moore tied it at 3 in the bottom half with a two-out RBI single.

Mike Ford gave the Mariners an early lead with a two-run homer in the second, pulling a 407-foot shot to right for his 11th of the season.

Tim Mayza (2-1) picked up the win in relief for Toronto.

STARTING OFF

Toronto right-hander Alek Manoah allowed three runs over 5 1/3 innings in his third start since returning from a monthlong demotion to the minors. The 2022 AL Cy Young Award finalist struck out six, walked four and permitted three hits.

Mariners rookie Bryan Woo (1-3) retired Toronto’s first nine batters but ran into trouble later on. He allowed four runs and four hits in six innings while walking one and hitting two batters with pitches. He struck out seven.

STREAK SNAPPER

The Blue Jays won at T-Mobile Park for the first time since Aug. 15, 2021. Toronto had lost its previous six games in the ballpark, which was once again filled with a large contingent of Blue Jays fans who traveled from Canada for the series.

JANSEN INJURED

Toronto catcher Danny Jansen exited with a bruised left forearm after being hit by a pitch in the fifth. He underwent X-rays, which were negative.

ROSTER MOVES

Toronto activated recently acquired LHP Génesis Cabrera and optioned RHP Nate Pearson to Triple-A Buffalo. Pearson took the loss Saturday, giving up four runs while getting only one out in relief.

UP NEXT

Blue Jays: RHP José Berríos (8-7, 3.39 ERA) faces Dodgers RHP Michael Grove (2-2, 6.40) on Monday as Toronto opens a three-game series in Los Angeles. Berríos has allowed just three runs in 18 1/3 innings over his past three starts.

Mariners: All-Star RHP Luis Castillo (6-7, 3.04 ERA) faces Twins RHP Kenta Maeda (2-5, 5.10) on Monday to begin a three-game set in Minnesota. Castillo and Maeda squared off last Wednesday in Seattle, combining for 20 strikeouts in a 6-3 Twins victory.