Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Show
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record Achievements
Seattle, the only MLB team 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 frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double 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, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
