Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet 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, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 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.
“We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York 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 is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “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 career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.
Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer 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 ball into his knee in the first inning.
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