Freeman’s grab highlight for unexpected heroes

SEATTLE — In a crucial game where the Mariners’ big three of Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz and Kyle Seager were a combined 0-for-12 until Cano’s game-winning sacrifice fly in the 12th inning, a number of lesser-known heroes stepped up to facilitate Wednesday’s 2-1 win over the Blue Jays at Safeco Field.

There was Mike Freeman, a utility infielder who had one at-bat in four games as a September callup, making an outstanding diving catch to rob Kevin Pillar of the go-ahead RBI in the top of the 10th inning.

There was Nick Vincent, a day after giving up three straight baserunners and a pair of runs in Tuesday’s 10-2 loss, coming in with two on and no outs in the 11th and getting the Mariners out of that jam, then picking up the win with a scoreless 12th in relief to save a day started by Felix Hernandez’s seven-inning gem.

And there was outfielder Guillermo Heredia, who has been used primarily as a late-inning defensive specialist, scoring the winning run in the bottom of the 12th after reaching second on an error, advancing to third when Josh Donaldson dropped a throw on a sacrifice attempt and scoring on Cano’s flyout to left.

“This is big for a player’s career, …

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