Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.
Defensive Dominance on Display
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. 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.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. 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 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record Accomplishments
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just 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, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer ended 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 Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
