Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to ALCS
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Defensive Mastery on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.
Crucial Offensive 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 held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Record Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, 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, 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.
Notable Game Moments
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 home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
