Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the 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 first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Key Batting Plays
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 the catcher.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We’re a tough team, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw 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 win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in MLB history.
Record Achievements
Seattle, the only MLB team to never host 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 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,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Game Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays 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.
