Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Display
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle 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 less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home 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 not have hosted 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 New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, 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, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared 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 homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.
