George Springer hit a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Monday night to advance to their first Major League Baseball (MLB) World Series since 1993.
Springer’s 23rd career postseason homer helped the Blue Jays win Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. Toronto will face Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, hosting Game 1 on Friday.
Toronto won the title in each of its previous two World Series appearances, in 1992 and 1993. The Blue Jays and the Marlins are the only franchises to make the Fall Classic more than once and never lose.
Julio Rodriguez and Cal Raleigh hit solo home runs for the Mariners, who fell one game shy of reaching their first World Series in franchise history.
The Blue Jays deployed six pitchers in all. After reliever Seranthony Dominguez pitched a perfect sixth for Toronto, Kevin Gausman (2-1) took over in the seventh. Following a walk and a double play, Gausman, usually a starter, intentionally walked Raleigh. Josh Naylor followed with a walk before Jorge Polanco grounded out.
Bryan Woo walked Addison Barger to open the home seventh, and Isiah Kiner-Falefa grounded a single to centre. Andres Gimenez sacrificed the runners to second and third.
Eduard Bazardo (1-1) replaced Woo and faced Springer, who hit his fourth home run of the postseason to left-centre on a 1-0 sinker. Springer tied Kyle Schwarber for third place in career playoff homers, trailing only Manny Ramirez (29) and Jose Altuve (27).
Another regular Toronto starter, Chris Bassitt, pitched a perfect eighth. Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.
Rodriguez led off the first against Shane Bieber by grounding a double into the left field corner. With one out, Naylor grounded an RBI single to right. Naylor was later called out for runner’s interference when he jumped and his batting helmet made contact with a throw from second, completing a double play.
Toronto answered with a run in the bottom of the inning against George Kirby. Springer walked, Vladimir Guerrero Jr grounded a single to left and Daulton Varsho (2-for-4) scooped an RBI ground single to centre on a low slider.
Rodriguez hit his fourth homer of the postseason on a 2-2 slider to lead off the third.
Louis Varland replaced Bieber with two outs in the fourth after a double and a walk, and he ended the inning by retiring Rodriguez on a groundout.
Bieber allowed two runs, seven hits and one walk, with five strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.
Raleigh led off the fifth with his fifth homer of the postseason, a blast to right on Varland’s 0-1 changeup to put Seattle up 3-1.
Kirby pitched four innings, permitting one run, four hits and one walk with three strikeouts, before Woo took over for 2 1/3 frames.
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