Raleigh Homers as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to ALCS
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Display
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional 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 outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.
Key Offensive Moments
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 held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth inning.
âWeâre a tough team, as you know, from top to bottom,â Raleigh said. âPitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.â
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 Major League Baseball history.
Record Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 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 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
âThis is going to be a hard-fought series, man,â Toronto manager John Schneider said. âOur team will be prepared for it.â
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleighâs homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio RodrĂguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against DomĂnguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
Eugenio SuĂĄrez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.