Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning 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.
Defensive Mastery on Display
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Seattle 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 Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Crucial Offensive Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning 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 homer by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Historic 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 and 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 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended 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 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Notable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.
