Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS 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-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Key Offensive Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason 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 stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
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 Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 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 pitches. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke 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 suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Notable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
