Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning 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 24 years.
Pitching Dominance on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, 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 postseason before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled 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 most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “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 all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Game 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 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
