MLB wild card top plays: Mariners complete historic comeback win vs. Jays

Day 2 of MLB wild card action featured four outstanding games, highlighted by the Seattle Mariners‘ improbable comeback to complete a 2-0 sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Cleveland Guardians swept the Tampa Bay Rays in Saturday’s first matchup, via a walk-off homer.

Seattle followed that up by completing the biggest road comeback win in MLB playoff history and baseball’s largest rally to clinch a postseason series.

In the nightcap, Pete Alonso launched a tiebreaking home run to help the New York Mets force a Game 3 against the San Diego Padres, while the Philadelphia Phillies punched their ticket to the NLDS with a 2-0 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Here are the top plays from Saturday’s wild-card matchups:

Mariners 10, Blue Jays 9 (Game 2, SEA wins series 2-0)

Teoscar goes yard

Blue Jays slugger Teoscar Hernandez got his team on the board first in a win-or-go-home game for Toronto, hitting a two-run blast to left field to take a 2-0 lead. 

Teoscar times two!

After Vlad Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI single in the third, Hernandez extended the Blue Jays’ lead to 4-0 when he hit his second homer of the game, both coming off Mariners starter Robbie Ray. 

The homer ended Ray’s day as Seattle called on Matt Brash out of the bullpen.

So close!

Carlos Santana was just a few feet away from cutting the Blue Jays’ lead in half. His fly ball to center hit the top of the wall, evading the outstretched arm of George Springer.

Santana ended up with a double that put runners in scoring position and Jared Kelenic knocked in a run on a sac fly to make it 4-1 in the fifth. 

Wild pitch leads to wild inning

The Mariners’ three-run deficit didn’t last long. The Blue Jays loaded the bases quickly and a passed ball allowed Santiago Espinal to score and make it 5-1. After Alejandro Kirk walked, Hernandez wasn’t given a chance to hit his third home run, as he was hit by a pitch to make it 6-1.

Blue Jays add on

Matt Chapman hit a sac fly to continue the Blue Jays’ scoring in the fifth and make it 7-1. Danny Jansen doubled to help Toronto jump out to an 8-1 lead in the fifth.

Mariners making it interesting

Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman found himself in a jam to start the sixth, allowing the first three Mariners’ hitters to get on base. However, he got two straight outs, but was still pulled from the game. 

Tim Mayza came in and threw a wild pitch on his first offering to Santana, allowing a runner to score. Later in the at-bat, Santana took Mayza yard to cut the Blue Jays’ lead to 8-5. 

We’ve got a brand-new ballgame

After trading a pair of runs to make it 9-6, the Mariners tied it up on a play that resulted in an unfortunate collision between Bo Bichette and George Springer.

Seattle SS J.P. Crawford hit a shallow fly to center and Bichette and Springer collided while going for the ball. The Mariners cleared the bases on the play, tying the game at 9-9.

Mariners take the lead!

Seattle took the lead in the top of the ninth after being down 8-1 in the fifth inning.

Adam Frazier laced a double to right field, which brought in Cal Raleigh and gave the Mariners a 10-9 lead.

Mets 7, Padres 3 (Game 2, Series tied 1-1)

Blast off!

Francisco Lindor got the Mets on the board first with this 403-foot moonshot to left.

He does it again

After homering in a 7-1 win over the Mets on Friday, Padres center fielder Trent Grisham went yard again, this one coming in the top of the third to tie the game at 1-1.

Polar Bear home run alert!

After trading runs, Alonso stepped up to the plate and crushed a home run deep into the seats to give New York a 3-2 lead.

Coming through in the clutch

The Mets extended their lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the seventh when Jeff McNeil doubled to right center. 

Phillies 2, Cardinals 0 (Game 2, PHI wins series 2-0)

Harper CRUSHES a deep home run

Bryce Harper blasted a 435-foot shot to deep right, giving the Phillies an early 1-0 lead.

The hot corner

Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm robbed Nolan Arenado of an extra-base hit with this impressive diving snag.

One of the best to ever do it

Albert Pujols ripped a single down the left field line in what will likely be the final at-bat of his legendary career.

Guardians 1, Rays 0 (Game 2, CLE wins series 2-0)

Just nasty

Tyler Glasnow appeared to be in postseason form with this strikeout.

Pitching duel

Glasnow and Triston McKenzie were in rare form, quickly turning Saturday’s matchup into a classic playoff pitching duel. 

A round of applause

Kudos are in order for Glasnow, who was stellar through five innings.

McKenzie magic

Through six innings, McKenzie registered eight strikeouts and only allowed two hits.

In other words, he’s dealing.

Narrow escape

In the bottom of the sixth, the Guardians had the bases loaded with no outs. But Jason Adam was able to strike out Jose Ramirez before Josh Naylor grounded out into a double play.

Run saved!

The Guardians kept the Rays off the board with this incredible defensive play!

A new record set!

The Rays and Guardians both left the 13th inning empty-handed, making it the first scoreless game through 13 innings in MLB playoff history. 

More history being made

As the game moved into the 15th, more MLB playoff records were set. With the Guardians’ Sam Hentges striking out Taylor Walls and Francisco Mejia to open the inning, Saturday’s game broke the record for total strikeouts in a playoff game with 38. Hentges struck out Jose Siri to end the inning.

Guardians walk it off!

After 14.5 innings of scoreless baseball, Oscar Gonzalez ended the game and the series by hitting a solo shot to open the bottom of the 15th, sending the Guardians to the ALDS to face the New York Yankees.