Raleigh Homers as Seattle Mariners Stifle Toronto Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Return to ALCS

Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning 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 Mastery on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.

Crucial 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 the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.

Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.

“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic 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, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared 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 career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against 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 Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Notable Contest Highlights

Eugenio Suárez hit a double 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, Seattle’s field included.

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.