Luis Castillo was dominant, holding Toronto to just two hits over 6 2/3 innings, while Luke Raley’s two-run double in the third inning helped the Seattle Mariners secure a 2-1 victory over the Blue Jays on Friday night.
Castillo, making his 200th career start, started strong by retiring the first nine Blue Jays batters. His only slip came with a leadoff walk in the fourth inning, and he surrendered his first hit, a solo home run to Kevin Kiermaier in the sixth inning.
Despite allowing another single later in the game, Castillo managed to escape further trouble, helped by a crucial double play. He left the game to applause after walking a batter in the seventh inning, finishing with eight strikeouts and just one run allowed.
Castillo credited a new grip on his slider for his successful outing, which helped to vary the speed of his pitches and keep Toronto’s hitters guessing.
Austin Voth and Ryne Stanek combined for 1 1/3 innings of scoreless relief, and Andrés Muñoz closed out the game with his 14th save.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider acknowledged the Mariners’ strong pitching performance, noting their effectiveness in limiting scoring opportunities for Toronto throughout the game.
