Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional 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 Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday 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.
Record Accomplishments
Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto 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 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 bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence 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.
