Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Stifle Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Return to ALCS

Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.

Crucial Batting Moments

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the homer by Raleigh.

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

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed 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 most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.

Record Achievements

The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” 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 all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Notable Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.