Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners overcame the 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 Show
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' 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 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames.
Crucial 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 held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
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 claim the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in MLB history.
Record Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team 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 Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Notable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
