Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.
Pitching Mastery on Display
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Offensive Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the 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 securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats 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 Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Notable Game Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
