Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.
Pitching Mastery on Display
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Historic Achievements
Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
