Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to ALCS
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Defensive Mastery on Show
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners 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 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.
Key Offensive Plays
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer 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 hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, 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 previous game.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Historic Accomplishments
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host 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 Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer's 21st playoff homer 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 appearances against Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Contest Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, 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 opening frame.
