Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.
Defensive Mastery on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from 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 the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Key Offensive Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series 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, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer 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 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Notable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis 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 sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
