Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.
Defensive Dominance 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-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional 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 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Batting Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth inning 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 the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
“We’re a tough team, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Historic Accomplishments
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays 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 frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing 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 postseason home run broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
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 homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
