Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Mastery on Display
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, 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 playoffs before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. 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 most extended decisive contest in MLB history.
Record Achievements
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. 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. “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 home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double 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 left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
