Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Defensive Mastery on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.
Key Offensive Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Record Accomplishments
Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to 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 frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Blue Jays 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, 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 took the loss.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Notable Game Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
