Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Stifle Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Batting Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We’re a tough team, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”
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 claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Historic Accomplishments
The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted 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 New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended 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 Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. 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 inning against Varland. The 395-foot hit 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 ball into his knee in the opening frame.
