Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation 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. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, 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 home run by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.
Historic Accomplishments
Seattle, the only MLB team 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 Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis 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.
