Mariners silence Blue Jays’ bats to take Game 1 of ALCS in Toronto

The Seattle Mariners lead the American League Championship Series after a 3-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday night.

Cal Raleigh homered to tie the game, and Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead hit as Seattle’s pitching staff silenced one of baseball’s hottest lineups.

Toronto struck early when George Springer launched Bryce Miller’s first pitch of the night into the seats for his 21st career postseason home run, moving him past Derek Jeter into fifth place all-time.

After that, the Blue Jays’ bats went quiet. Their only other hit came in the second inning, a single by Anthony Santander.

Seattle’s pitchers—Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andrés Muñoz—retired 23 of the final 24 batters.

The group combined to throw just 100 pitches, a sharp contrast to the 209 thrown in Friday’s 15-inning marathon that clinched the Division Series against Detroit.

Raleigh, who led the majors with 60 home runs this season, crushed a sixth-inning splitter from Toronto ace Kevin Gausman to tie the game 1-1. Before that, hitters were 0-for-16 against Gausman’s signature pitch in the postseason.

Polanco followed later in the inning with a go-ahead RBI single that scored Julio Rodríguez, who had drawn a walk.

He added another run-scoring single in the eighth against reliever Seranthony Domínguez.

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said after the win. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Eugenio Suárez nearly added to Seattle’s lead in the seventh with a double off the top of the right-field wall—a ball that would have been a home run in half of MLB’s ballparks, including Seattle’s.

Miller earned the win, striking out three and walking three over six innings and 72 pitches.

Each reliever followed with a perfect frame, with Muñoz closing the door for the save.

Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who had torched the Yankees in the Division Series with nine hits and three home runs, went 0-for-4 with three groundouts.

“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”

The win was another milestone for the Mariners, who remain the only team in Major League Baseball to never host a World Series game.

Their return to the ALCS marks their first appearance since 2001.

Toronto’s Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning after bruising his knee when he fouled a ball off it earlier in the game.

Game 2 is scheduled for Monday, with rookie right-hander Trey Yesavage starting for Toronto after a record-setting 11-strikeout performance against the Yankees.

Seattle will counter with Logan Gilbert, who threw two innings in relief during Friday’s 15-inning epic.

First pitch is 2:03 p.m.

LIVE UPDATES

7:51 p.m. - Bottom of 9: Andrés Muñoz replaces Matt Brash. Guerrero Jr. grounds out. Barger flies out. Kirk flies out. 3-1 Mariners.

7:47 p.m. - Top of 9: Jeff Hoffman replaces Mason Fluharty. Canzone grounds out. Robles singles to right field. Crawford grounds out. Arozarena strikes out. 3-1 Mariners.

7:38 p.m. - Bottom of 8: Matt Brash replaces Gabe Speier. Giménez grounds out. Springer strikes out. Pinch-hitter Davis Schneider replaces Myles Straw. Schneider flies out. 3-1 Mariners.

7:32 p.m. - Top of 8: Seranthony Domínguez replaces Louis Varland. Arozarena walks. Raleigh strikes out. Arozarena steals 2nd base. Arozarena steals 3rd base. Rodríguez walks. Polanco singles, Arozarena scores. 3-1 Mariners. Mason Fluharty replaces Seranthony Domínguez. Naylor strikes out. Suárez strikes out.

7:12 p.m. - Bottom of 7: Gabe Speier replaces Bryce Miller. Varsho lines out. Clement flies out. Santander lines out.

7:07 p.m. - Top of 7: Louis Varland replaces Brendon Little. Suárez double after a moon shot bounces off the wall in right field. Canzone grounds out, Suárez to third. Robles strikes out. Crawford grounds out.

6:56 p.m. - Bottom of 6: Straw pops out. Guerrero Jr. grounds out. Barger walks. Kirk pops out.

6:46 p.m. - Top of 6: Crawford grounds out. Arozarena strikes out. Raleigh home run to center field! Game tied 1-1. Rodríguez walks. Brendon Little replaces Kevin Gausman. Wild pitch moves Rodríguez to second. Polanco singles, driving in Rodríguez! Mariners up 2-1. Naylor strikes out. ESPN win probability finally flips to the Mariners.

6:24 p.m. - Bottom of 5: Santander strikes out. Giménez grounds out. Springer strikes out. Bryce Miller has retired the last 10 batters.

6:17 p.m. - Top of 5: Suárez pops out. Canzone pops out. Robles pops out.

6:12 p.m. - Bottom of 4: Kirk pops out to left field. Varsho strikes out. Clement lines out to center.

6:03 p.m. - Top of 4: Rodríguez strikes out. Polanco grounds out. Naylor pops out.

5:58 p.m. - Bottom of 3: Lukes pops out to left field. Guerrero Jr. grounds out. Barger grounds out. Myles Straw replaces Nathan Lukes.

5:51 p.m. - Top of 3: Crawford grounds out. Arozarena pops out. Raleigh strikes out.

5:43 p.m. - Bottom of 2: Clement pops out. Santander doubles. Giménez pops out. Springer grounds out.

5:36 p.m. - Top of 2: Suárez grounds out. Canzone strikes out. Robles strikes out.

5:30 p.m. - Bottom of 1: Springer home run. Blue Jays, 1-0. Lukes walks. Guerrero Jr. pops out to center field. Barger walks. Kirk pops out to 2nd. Varsho pops out to center field.

5:12 p.m. - Top of 1: Arozarena grounds out. Raleigh single to right field. Rodríguez singles, Raleigh moves to third. Polanco fielders choice, Raleigh thrown out at home. Naylor pops out to center field.

5:04 p.m. - The Mariners trident has made the trip across the border.

5 p.m. - The Canadian flag has been unfurled for the Canadian National Anthem. It takes up the entire outfield.

4:53 p.m. - First pitch is scheduled for 5:03 p.m., with the Mariners’ Bryce Miller facing off against the Blue Jays’ Kevin Gausman.

Alex Rodriguez picked the Seattle Mariners to win in Game 7.

4:48 p.m. - Julio Rodríguez spoke with MLB before tonight’s game to talk about playing for their first chance at World Series rings.

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