Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Defeat Toronto Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Comeback to AL Championship Series

Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.

Pitching Dominance on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.

Crucial Offensive Plays

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. 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 added an RBI single in the eighth inning.

“We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day 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.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 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 perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready 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 all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against 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 Seranthony Domínguez.

Notable Game Highlights

Eugenio Suárez hit a double 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 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.