SEATTLE -- Mariners manager Dan Wilson made major changes to his lineup in an attempt to reverse the momentum Seattle has lost in the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Julio Rodriguez, who has batted third in the Mariners' lineup recently, was moved to the leadoff position for Friday's game, and Josh Naylor was bumped up to the cleanup spot, with Randy Arozarena -- who had batted first in the first four games series and is just 2-for-15 with one RBI in the series-- shifted to fifth.
"Sometimes when you make a change like that, it can create some different results," Wilson said Friday. "Hopefully this is a chance to kind of jump-start things offensively."
Dominic Canzone will be in right field as Victor Robles sits for a second straight game. Second baseman Leo Rivas is set to bat ninth for the second game in a row after getting 90 at-bats during the regular season. He had a tying RBI single in the seventh inning of Seattle's division series clincher.
"The quality of at-bats that we've gotten from Leo have been just outstanding on really, both sides of the plate," Wilson said. "He hit some big home runs for us since coming back up in September. Left-handed, big, huge, pinch-hit base hit in Game 5 from the right side. So he has really swung the bat well. He's just put up good at-bats, found his way on base."
The Mariners won Games 1 and 2, but Toronto took Games 3 and 4 to tie the best-of-seven series. The road team has won every game.
The lineup changes appear to be an attempt to place the Mariners' best current hitters at the top of the order and perhaps give them an extra plate appearance at game's end. The moves come as Toronto's potent lineup has exploded. The Blue Jays compiled seven home runs and 21 runs in Games 3 and 4.
Naylor has been the Mariners' best hitter in this series, with six hits in 14 at-bats (.429), including a pair of home runs.
Rodriguez has four hits and four walks against the Jays for a .471 on-base percentage. He batted in the leadoff spot in 15 games during the regular season but struggled in that small sample, hitting .194 with a .265 OBP.
All but one of Seattle's six runs in Games 3 and 4 came on homers.
"To have a more consistent offense it takes, I think, hitting home runs, as well as sort of scoring traditionally," Wilson said. "And that's when we're going to be at our best. So being able to do both is where we need to get to."
The Mariners released their revamped lineup to the media minutes after manager Dan Wilson held his media availability. In that session, Wilson did not inform reporters about the changes or explain his thinking behind the choices.
Information from the Associated Press was used in this report.