Raleigh Homers as Mariners Overpower Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to ALCS
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle 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 24 years.
Pitching Dominance on Display
George Springer homered on the first pitch 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 for Toronto’s 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 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Offensive Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and contributed an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday 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 Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer broke 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 Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.