They say October baseball is different than what one sees in the regular season.
True or not, Toronto Blue Jays star Alek Manoah got to experience firsthand what it’s like to pitch with a playoff atmosphere.
He got to do it at home, in Rogers Centre, yet the Seattle Mariners made him pay for a couple of mistakes in the first inning.
“Alek Manoah in the first inning this year: 133 batters faced, 1 HR, 4 extra-base hits. Alek Manoah in the first inning today: 6 batters faced, 1 HR, 2 extra-base hits. Baseball! In October!,” MLB insider Jayson Stark tweeted.
Alek Manoah in the first inning this year:
133 batters faced
1 HR
4 extra-base hitsAlek Manoah in the first inning today:
6 batters faced
1 HR
2 extra-base hitsBaseball! In October!
— Jayson Stark (@jaysonst) October 7, 2022
In the first game of the AL Wild Card round, the Mariners took an early lead when Eugenio Suarez hit a run-scoring double and catcher Cal Raleigh followed with a long home run with one on base.
In the blink of an eye, the Mariners built a 3-0 lead.
Manoah At Least Kept His Team In The Game
Manoah later allowed another run in the fifth inning, as Julio Rodriguez scored on a groundout.
In total, he pitched 5.2 innings and allowed four hits, a walk, and struck out four.
The only problem is that he also conceded four runs.
There is still a lot of baseball to play in Toronto, but the Blue Jays are down four runs in the bottom of the sixth inning.
Manoah, who had a 2.24 season in 196.2 regular season frames, made a couple of mistakes.
At this stage of the season, MLB hitters don’t forgive any mistakes.
At least he was composed and determined enough to keep his team in the game: allowing earned runs can have a mental impact on the pitcher, but Manoah quickly picked up the pieces and kept competing.
NEXT: The Blue Jays Make Their Game 1 Starter Official