Editor’s note: The 2006 Tournament games are being played with Strat-o-Matic cards and dice. The designated hitter will be used for any games involving American League teams. Injuries will only be used during the game when they occur.
Vernon Wells led the Toronto Blue Jays to a 7-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners in the final opening round contest of the 2006 Tournament.
The Toronto centerfielder had five hits including a pair of doubles and a three-run homer to spark his team’s offensive attack.
With the win, the Blue Jays travel to Oakland to face the A’s in the second round.
Seattle also used the long ball to get its offense going in the second inning as Carl Everett‘s two-run blast off Toronto’s Roy Halladay put the Mariners on top 2-0.
Wells led off the top of the third with a double against Seattle starter Gil Meche. He would score on a double by Lyle Overbay and the Blue Jays trailed 2-1.
Toronto scored four times in the fourth to build a 5-2 advantage. Wells smacked his three-run blast and that was followed by a solo shot by Troy Glaus.
The Blue Jays added two more runs in the fifth as Rafael Soriano took over on the mound for the Angels.
Bengie Molina drove in the first run with a single, while Wells capped the rally with a RBI single.
Adrian Beltre picked up a solo homer in the sixth for Seattle to make it 7-3.
Down by four runs heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Mariners rallied to make things intertesting.
Ben Broussard and Beltre singled to oust Halladay. Brandon League came on to eventully earn a what became a difficult save.
Kenji Johjima greeted League with a RBI single before the Toronto reliever gained his composure to strike out Everett and Yuniesky Betancourt.
Unfortunately for League, he proceeded to give up run-scoring singles to Ichiro Suzuki and Jose Lopez and it was 7-6.
League was able to stop the comeback one batter later as he retired Raul Ibanez on strikes.
2006 AL Tournament
Second Round Pairings
Texas Rangers at New York Yankees
Chicago White Sox at Detroit Tigers
Los Angeles Angels at Minnesota Twins
Toronto Blue Jays at Oakland Athletics
First Round Results
New York Yankees, bye
Texas Rangers 10, Boston Red Sox 4
Chicago White Sox 9, Baltimore Orioles 3
Detroit Tigers 4, Kansas City Royals 3
Minnesota Twins 11, Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4
Los Angeles Angels 4, Cleveland Indians 1
Toronto Blue Jays 7, Seattle Mariners 6
Oakland Athletics, bye
2006 NL Tournament
First Round Pairings
Chicago Cubs at New York Mets
Florida Marlins at Atlanta Braves
Colorado Rockies at St. Louis Cardinals
Milwaukee Brewers at Philadelphia Phillies
Washington Nationals at Los Angeles Dodgers
Arizona Diamondbacks at Houston Astros
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates at San Diego Padres