Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night 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 escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially 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 Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Record Achievements
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run 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 Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
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 opening frame.
