Vladimir Guerrero Junior was asked moments after last night’s clutch 6-2 Toronto victory if he and the Blue Jays would be ready for tonight’s seventh and deciding game of the American League Championship Series against the visiting Seattle Mariners.
Flashing an ear-to-ear smile inside Rogers Centre and pausing long enough for the sellout crowd of 44,764 to react with wild cheers, Guerrero said: “I was born ready.”
It’s do-or-die tonight for both teams, each one win away from a World Series date with the Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the Milwaukee Brewers in the NLCS on Friday.
The Mariners have never been to the World Series. In fact, the Seattle squad has never played in an ALCS Game 7.
The Jays haven’t been to the Fall Classic since winning a second straight title in 1993. So both teams are due.
The Jays will send right-hander Shane Bieber to the mound tonight, while the Mariners, who once led this best-of-seven series 2-0 and 3-2, will counter with right-hander George Kirby.
The Jays are hoping they can repeat last night’s recipe of timely hitting, quality pitching and stellar defence to get them to California this weekend.
The Mariners are hoping that their top three hitters — Julio Rodriguez, Cal Raleigh and Jorge Polanco — who were held without a hit last night can bounce back with a big game on the biggest night of the post-season.
Fasten your seatbelts, it’s showtime.
–The Canadian Press —
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