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Bragging rights for North America are at stake.

That’s how, at Safeco Field during Saturday’s 2-1 loss to the Houston Astros, the Seattle Mariners were billing this week’s series versus the Toronto Blue Jays.

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They know thousands of Canadians are coming.

It’s become an annual ritual.

For the uninitiated, even those who’ve been prepped for the sea of blue in the stands and around the stadium, it can be a real shock.

Take Blue Jays radio broadcaster Mike Wilner.

“I was prepared to be impressed; I was completely overwhelmed,” Wilner said of his visit to Seattle in 2014. “It felt like three home games.”

With fans travelling from B.C., from Alberta, from Saskatchewan, it’s confirmation of the national meaning of the team, he figures.

The Jays have been drawing huge crowds at home, and the games are much an event as they are a sporting contest. When Wilner saw the Jays jerseys and hats at Safeco, he saw the same thing: fans cheering their team and just totally enjoying the moment.