Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.
Key Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. 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 Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record Accomplishments
Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, 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, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
