Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to ALCS
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.
Pitching Dominance on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.
Key Offensive Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer 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, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
AL West champion Seattle journeyed 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 longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.
Record 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 along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio RodrĂguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against DomĂnguez.
Memorable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning 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 left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.
