Cal Raleigh Homers as Mariners Overpower Toronto Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to AL Championship Series
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 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.
Defensive Mastery on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners 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 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Batting Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and contributed an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day 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 Accomplishments
The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended 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 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.