Cal Raleigh Homers as Seattle Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to ALCS
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Show
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Key Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and contributed an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“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 previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.
Record Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad 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 innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke 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 Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.
