Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.
George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI 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. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York 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 is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.
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