Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad 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 innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect 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 postseason home run ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh’s homer 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 drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.
Eugenio Suárez doubled 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, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.
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