Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours 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 homer in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the home run by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
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 Major League Baseball history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, 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, for sure,” Blue Jays 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 all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run 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.
