SEATTLE – The Blue Jays jumped on Mariners starter Luis Castillo through early command struggles for five runs, and a handful of key defensive plays by Toronto helped sink Seattle in a 6-3 loss on Friday night.

Addison Barger had three doubles off Seattle pitchers and robbed Rodríguez of an RBI double to lead the effort for the Blue Jays, and former Mariners reliever Yimi Garcia escaped a bases loaded jam in the eighth inning to preserve the Toronto lead.

Julio Rodríguez, Ben Williamson, J.P. Crawford and Miles Mastrobuoni all had prospective base hits taken away by strong defensive plays from Blue Jays fielders to keep additional runs off the board.

Castillo struggled immediately with command issues for Seattle, waking the first two batters he faced in Bo Bichette and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Both walks would come around to score as Barger’s one-out double to right field brought both runs home for a 2-0 lead.

A two-out double by Barger in the third inning sparked another scoring surge. Ernie Clement singled to drive in Barger for a 3-0 lead, and Nathan Lukes hit a two-run home run to make it a 5-0 game.

Castillo settled in and retired seven of the last eight batters he faced as he made it through the fifth inning for Seattle. He allowed five runs on seven hits with two walks and three strikeouts.

Meanwhile, Kevin Gausman retired the first eight Mariners in order before Williamson’s two-out single in the third inning gave Seattle their first baserunner. J.P. Crawford and Jorge Polanco followed with consecutive singles as Seattle clawed back a run to make it 5-1.

Rodríguez ripped a two-out offering from Gausman, but Barger made a stellar grab to erase a potential double and at least one run scoring for Seattle. Daulton Varsho robbed a home run from Williamson in the fifth inning, and Bichette followed with a leaping grab of a Crawford liner as the Blue Jays web gems thwarted Seattle’s offense.

Three more consecutive singles by the Mariners in the sixth inning from Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena chipped away another run, and a two-out double from newcomer Leody Taveras cut the Toronto lead to 5-3.

Gausman exited after Arozarena’s single to load the bases, going 5 ⅓ innings with three runs allowed on seven hits, no walks and three strikeouts for Toronto.

Seattle threatened again in the eighth against former Mariners reliever Yimi Garcia. Rodríguez’s lead-off single was followed by consecutive walks to Raleigh and Arozarena to load the bases with no outs. Pinch-hitter Miles Mastrobuoni lined to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first base, who was unable to catch the ball. However, Guerrero threw home to get Rodríguez and keep the run off the board.

Garcia buckled down and struck out Taveras and Dylan Moore to escape the jam unscathed.

Toronto answered by loading the bases themselves in the top of the ninth against Seattle reliever Troy Taylor. Varsho’s sacrifice fly gave the Blue Jays an insurance run and a 6-3 lead.

Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman struck out three batters in the ninth and had to get an extra out as Crawford reached on a wild pitch.

What’s next:

Right-hander Logan Evans (1-1, 7.20) is set to face Toronto righty Bowden Francis (2-5, 5.66) in the second game of the three-game set on Saturday night.

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