Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Defeat Toronto Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series

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

Pitching Mastery on Show

George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames.

Key Offensive Plays

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score 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 homer by the catcher.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in MLB history.

Historic Accomplishments

Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”

Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke 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, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Notable Contest Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.