Dylan Cease strikes out 8 in six innings, Blue Jays hit 3 homers to beat Mariners 8-1

TORONTO (AP) — Dylan Cease struck out eight in six innings, George Springer was 4 for 4 with a home run, and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Seattle Mariners 8-1 on Friday night.

Cease (9-5), who gave up four hits, one run and a walk, now has 217 strikeouts to lead the AL. The only pitcher in the majors with more is Milwaukee’s Jacob Misiorowski with 222.

Cease is 5-1 with a 1.48 ERA in his past 10 starts, including two wins over the Mariners.

Springer, who scored three runs, singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, hit his 14th homer in the fifth and singled in the seventh. Springer hit a memorable homer the last time Toronto hosted Seattle, a three-run shot to put the Blue Jays ahead in Game 7 of the 2025 ALCS.

Kazuma Okamoto and Nathan Lukes added homers for the Blue Jays.

Okamoto connected off Seranthony Domínguez in the sixth, extending his Blue Jays rookie record total to 27. Lukes homered in the fifth.

Dominic Canzone hit his 20th home run of the season in the first, but the Mariners lost their second straight. Seattle is 27-40 on the road.

Seattle starter Emerson Hancock (7-8) allowed five runs and eight hits in five innings.

After Toronto’s Brett Bateman opened the bottom of the first with a single, Hancock appeared shaken up when he chased down Lukes’ grounder and stretched to tag the leaping outfielder.

Hancock stayed in, but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit an RBI double, Springer singled and Jesús Sánchez was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Guerrero scored on Okamoto's sacrifice fly and Andrés Giménez added an RBI single.

Toronto is 38-13 this season when scoring five or more.

RHP José Soriano (10-7, 3.43 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Blue Jays on Saturday against Mariners LHP Kade Anderson (0-0, 4.76).

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Seattle Mariners pitcher Emerson Hancock, right, reacts as Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer, back left, rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Vladimir Guerrero Jr., right, celebrates after hitting an RBI double as Seattle Mariners second baseman Cole Young, left, looks on during the first inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Dylan Cease works against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' George Springer reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

Toronto Blue Jays' Nathan Lukes, right, watches his solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Toronto, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026. (Sammy Kogan/The Canadian Press via AP)

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell each scored 34 points as the the Indiana Fever got past the Connecticut Sun 111-91 on Friday.

The pair scored 30 or more for the fourth game this season, extending their WNBA single-season record for a duo.

Clark added 12 assists, marking the fifth time this year she's had a double-double with at least 30 and 10.

Mitchell notched her 24th straight 20-point game in the Fever's final game before a three-week break for the FIBA Women's World Cup. Indiana has won seven of nine as Clark, Aliyah Boston, and coach Stephanie White head to Berlin for the tournament. Boston scored 14 points.

Diamond Miller finished with 19 points and Nell Angloma had 17 to lead Connecticut, who have lost six of their last eight games.

Indiana went on a 10-0 run to end the first quarter and start the second, nearly erasing all of a 28-14 deficit. Clark and Mitchell then combined for the first 12 points in an 18-2 run to close the first half, giving the Fever 58-43 lead.

After Connecticut cut the deficit to 62-52 midway through the third quarter, Indiana answered with a 14-5 run that extended the margin to 76-57. The Sun never recovered.

During the third quarter, Mitchell dished her 911th assist, moving past current Fever assistant coach Briann January her into second on Indiana's all-time leaders.

The Fever paid tribute to the late Dolly Parton with a dance routine to the song “9 to 5” between the third and fourth quarters.

Sun: Make the second stop of a three-game road trip Sunday at Dallas.

Fever: Return to action Sept. 18 at Toronto.

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Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) dribbles the ball against Connecticut Sun guard Charlisse Leger-Walker (4) during the first half of an WNBA basketball game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Marc Lebryk)

Indiana Fever guard Lexie Hull (10) reacts to a basket during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Marc Lebryk)

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots a free throw during the first half of a WNBA basketball game, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Marc Lebryk)

Indiana Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell (0) dribbles the ball down court during the first half of a WNBA basketball game against the Connecticut Sun, Friday, Aug. 28, 2026, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Marc Lebryk)