Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.
George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.
Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion 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 MLB history.
The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.
“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career 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 bring home RodrĂguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony DomĂnguez.
Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.
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