Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Comeback to ALCS
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle 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.
Pitching Dominance on Show
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Batting Moments
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 held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and contributed 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 did awesome. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in MLB history.
Historic Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 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 will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto 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 career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who took the loss.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Memorable Game Highlights
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
