Rowdy Tellez’s Grand Slam Lifts Mariners Over Blue Jays in 12-Inning Thriller

For Rowdy Tellez, Saturday night was more than just another game — it was a full-circle moment that ended in fireworks. Back in the city where he made his major league debut, the former Blue Jay launched a go-ahead grand slam in the 12th inning that silenced the Rogers Centre crowd and sealed an 8-4 win for the Seattle Mariners over Toronto in a game filled with tension, drama, and late-night heroics.

It was the kind of game that had everything: a bench-clearing moment, a rookie’s first big-league homer, clutch bullpen work, and a gut-punch finish for the home team.

Tellez Makes It Personal in the 12th

With the score knotted at 3-3 and the game dragging into its fourth hour, Seattle loaded the bases in the top of the 12th. Randy Arozarena had already knocked in the go-ahead run with a sharp single. Then came Tellez, stepping into the box against his former team with a chance to blow the game wide open — and he didn’t miss.

One pitch later, the ball was sailing into the right-field stands. Tellez didn’t flip his bat, didn’t show much — just a small nod as he rounded the bases. Business handled.

“It felt good,” Tellez said after the game, keeping it humble. “Just trying to help the team win. We’ve been grinding lately, so to come through like that, it means a lot.”

A Night to Remember for Rookie Ben Williamson

Earlier in the game, it was rookie infielder Ben Williamson who kept Seattle alive. In the seventh inning, with the Mariners trailing by a run, the 25-year-old got hold of a pitch from José Berríos and sent it over the left-field wall — his first career home run. It tied the game and brought life back into the Seattle dugout.

Williamson finished the night 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, and two runs scored. Not bad for someone who was playing in Double-A just last summer.

“I kind of blacked out,” he laughed when asked about his homer. “It’s one of those moments you dream about. I’m just happy I could contribute.”

Tempers Flare in the Fourth

Not everything was sunshine in this marathon matchup. Things got tense in the fourth inning when Berríos seemed to accuse Seattle of stealing signs. After striking out Cal Raleigh, he pointed toward second base and exchanged words with the Mariners’ bench. That brought both dugouts onto the field in a brief but heated moment. No punches were thrown, and the game resumed without ejections, but the energy was high from that point on.

“You’re going to get emotional sometimes — that’s baseball,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “But I thought our guys stayed focused.”

Bullpen Slams the Door

The Mariners’ bullpen deserves a massive chunk of the credit for this win. After starter Logan Gilbert battled through 4.2 innings, the relievers took over and put on a clinic. Carlos Vargas, Eduard Bazardo, and Andrés Muñoz combined for 7.1 innings of relief, allowing just one run and slamming the door shut on several Toronto threats.

Muñoz, in particular, was lights out. He pitched a scoreless 11th and picked up the win after wriggling out of a jam with runners on the corners. Toronto had the potential winning run at third, but Muñoz stayed calm and got the out Seattle desperately needed.

A Statement Win on the Road

This win meant more than just another tally in the standings. It marked Seattle’s fifth victory in their last six games and pushed them above the .500 mark at 11-10. For a team trying to find its rhythm in April, this kind of gritty win could go a long way.

The Mariners will look to take the series in Sunday’s rubber match, with ace Luis Castillo set to take the mound. If Saturday night was any indication, this group is finding its fight — and fast.

“We’re building something here,” said Servais. “It’s not always pretty, but our guys are showing up every night ready to compete. That’s what it takes.”