Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Return to ALCS
Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.
Defensive Mastery on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings.
Key Batting Plays
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. 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, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.
Record Achievements
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff 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,” Blue Jays 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, moving him into sole possession of fifth place 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 drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Notable Game Moments
Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall 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 pitch off it in the opening frame.
