Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Historic Achievements
Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Notable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
