TORONTO — The celebration will have to wait.

With a trip to the World Series on the line, the Seattle Mariners couldn’t close the deal Sunday night, falling to the Toronto Blue Jays 6-2 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series at Rogers Centre.

PREVIOUSLY | 49 years in the making: Mariners stand on the edge of first-ever World Series spot

The loss knots the series at three games apiece and sets up a winner-take-all Game 7 on Monday — with a World Series berth hanging in the balance.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit his sixth home run of the postseason, rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings, and the Toronto Blue Jays capitalized on three Seattle errors to beat the M’s.

Seattle, seeking its first-ever World Series appearance in the Mariner franchise’s 49-year history, entered Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead after a thrilling Game 5 win on Friday. The Mariners are now headed to their first-ever Game 7 in postseason play — and the 173rd game of their season, the most in franchise history.

But on Sunday, the Jays flew in to seize momentum early and never let go.

Guerrero’s fifth-inning solo shot, his sixth of the postseason, gave the Blue Jays a 5-0 lead and tied him with José Bautista and Joe Carter for the most postseason home runs in franchise history. Bautista, who threw out the ceremonial first pitch, watched as Guerrero helped extend Toronto’s postseason life once again.

Addison Barger added a home run and drove in three runs for the Blue Jays, who broke a four-game losing streak in postseason elimination games.

Yesavage, making just his sixth career major league start, delivered under pressure. The 22-year-old rookie carried a shutout into the sixth inning, allowing two runs on six hits while relying heavily on his devastating split-finger fastball. He threw a season-high 31 splitters, generating 10 whiffs and inducing two critical inning-ending double plays with the bases loaded.

Toronto turned three double plays behind Yesavage — two of them with the bases full — becoming the first team in postseason history to record back-to-back bases-loaded, inning-ending double plays in a single game.

The Mariners had opportunities early but couldn’t capitalize. Cal Raleigh grounded into a 3-6-1 double play in the third and finished 0 for 3 with three strikeouts. J.P. Crawford ended the fourth with another bases-loaded double play.

Seattle finally broke through in the sixth when Josh Naylor homered and Eugenio Suárez added an RBI single, but it wasn’t enough to erase the early damage.

Toronto’s offense took advantage of three Seattle errors, including two in the second inning by Julio Rodríguez and Suárez, to build a lead. RBI singles by Barger and Isiah Kiner-Falefa helped stake Yesavage to an early cushion.

Guerrero was hit by a pitch in the seventh, advanced on a single and wild pitch, then scored on a throwing error by Raleigh, creating Seattle’s third miscue of the night.

Seattle starter Logan Gilbert allowed five runs (four earned) on seven hits over four innings. He was chased after Guerrero’s homer in the fifth.

Up next: Toronto is expected to start right-hander Shane Bieber in Game 7. Bieber pitched six strong innings in Game 3, allowing two runs on four hits while striking out eight. Seattle will counter with George Kirby, who was hit hard in Game 3, giving up eight runs and three home runs in four innings.

Seattle is the only current MLB team never to reach a World Series. After falling in the ALCS in 1995, 2000, and 2001, this year’s squad — which won the AL West with a 90-72 record — had hoped to finally break through.

The winner will face the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers, who swept the Brewers in the NLCS.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.