Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.
Defensive Mastery on Show
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 hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Offensive Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
