Luis Castillo, Mariners maintain Blue Jays in verify

Luis Castillo pitched 6 2/3 sterling innings as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Toronto Blue Jays 2-1 in the opener of a three-game series Friday night.

Luke Raley hit a two-run double for the Mariners, who won their second in a row after losing 10 of their previous 13 to see their lead atop the American League West trimmed to two games over the defending division champion Houston Astros.

Kevin Kiermaier homered for the Blue Jays, who are last in the AL East and lost for the 13th time in their past 17 games.

Castillo (7-9) allowed one run on two hits. The right-hander walked two and struck out eight to beat the Blue Jays for the first time in four career starts against them.

Austin Voth, Ryne Stanek and Andres Munoz combined for 2 1/3 perfect innings of relief to cap the two-hitter. Munoz worked the ninth for his 14th save of the season.

Toronto didn’t have a hit off Castillo through five scoreless innings before No. 9 hitter Kiermaier went deep to right field with one out in the sixth on a 1-2 fastball, cutting the Mariners’ lead to 2-1. Spencer Horwitz hit a single up the middle before Castillo got Bo Bichette to ground into an inning-ending double play.

The Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman (6-8) took the loss. The righty, who led the AL in strikeouts last season, gave up two runs on six hits over six innings. He walked two and struck out 10.

The Mariners used a successful video review to score their two runs in the third.

With Cal Raleigh on first base after a two-out walk, Julio Rodriguez hit a grounder to third baseman Ernie Clement. Rodriguez was originally called out, but a video review determined Horwitz’s foot came off first base as he fielded a one-hop throw from Clement. Rodriguez was credited with an infield single and Raley followed with a double to center field that brought home both runners.

–Field Level Media