The Mariners are peaking at the right time

As I write this, the Mariners have yet to play the third game in the American League Championship Series. They are up to 2-0 on the Toronto Blue Jays and at least two games away from punching their ticket to the World Series.   

In just a few days we could be saying, "The Mariners are headed to the World Series for the first time ever." 

Going into game three of the ALCS, it’s safe to say the Mariners are peaking at the right time. Even if they lose game three, the Mariners will be poised to carry their momentum into games four — and potentially five as I write this.   

I’ve been most impressed with the Mariners jumping out to a two-game lead by going on the road. The Blue Jays dominated the New York Yankees. They turned out a high-powered offense that mainstream pundits thought would take advantage of a fatigued Mariners pitching unit.   

However, Bryce Miller put together a strong pitching performance in game one. After allowing a single run in the first inning, Miller pitched a scoreless five innings before relief came in the final three innings to finish the job.   

In game two, the first two innings indicated signs of another hard-fought battle. The game remained tied at three until the top of the fifth before the Mariners erupted offensively. While Cal Raleigh and the Mariners offense caught fire, the pitching crew of Eduard Bazardo, Carlos Vargas and Emerson Hancock each pitched multiple scoreless innings.   

The Mariners struggled on the road during the regular season. Compared to their American League cohort, their record on the road was noticeably worse. However, they started to clean that up in the final stretch of the season and now that seems to be paying off.   

Looking ahead, it will be important for the Mariners to consistently recenter their focus. This Blue Jays team is bound to adjust their approach and could surprise the Mariners with an explosive run of scores. The Mariners should remain confident in their pitching but be prepared for Toronto’s dormant offense to wake up at some point.   

Offensively, they will need to focus on getting batters on base. I’m confident we have not seen the last home run from "Big dumper," but those moments can’t be relied upon to get them the rest of the way. If the Mariners can put the ball in play and mix in homers, the Mariners are going to run up the scoreboard.   

The Mariners' fairy tale season continues to impress. They caught fire at the right time. Perhaps the dugout sees the opportunity that lies ahead of them and how rare that air is to breathe. This late into the playoffs of a professional sport, clean sweeps are difficult to come by; the Mariners may be bound to drop a game at some point. However, I see no reason they can’t take this series in six games.   

The Mariners just need to keep doing what they were told to do by Ichiro Suzuki – seize the moment.