Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Toronto Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.
Defensive Dominance on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth 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 homer by the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on 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 win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Historic Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise 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 New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting 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 playoff homer ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
