Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Key Batting Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on 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 Major League Baseball history.
Historic Accomplishments
Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, 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, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Memorable Game Moments
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
