Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.
Pitching Mastery on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional 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 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.
Historic Achievements
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended 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 suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
