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

Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.

Pitching Dominance on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames.

Crucial Batting Plays

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.

Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI single in the eighth.

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.

Record Accomplishments

The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, 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 commented. “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 all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.

Memorable Contest Moments

Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.

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.