Yahoo Sports senior MLB analyst Jake Mintz recaps the deciding game in the American League Championship Series – including how Toronto’s George Springer added another chapter to his postseason legend.
View more
Advertisement
Video Transcript
It is jubilation in Canada and utter despair in the Pacific Northwest as the Jays will be going to their first Fall Classic since 1993.
And how did they do it?
Well?
If you’re watching this, you have probably already seen George Springer’s massive swing, his 3-run blast in the seventh inning that put Toronto ahead for good.
But we will start at the beginning.
And work our way from there.
Mariners got on the board first in the top of the first in an RBI single from Josh Naylor.
Julio Rodriguez leadoff double to start the game.
It was his first knock in the leadoff spot.
They’ve been moving him up and down the order a little bit.
Advertisement
Early on, it looks a little bit shaky as Dalton Varcho hits an RBI single on the bottom of the first to tie things up, and it’s like, OK, now we’re off and running.
So let’s fast forward to the top of the 3rd.
Julio Rodriguez, his spot in the order comes back up and he goes deep to put the Mariners up 2 to 1.
Shane Bieber hanging a slider in the middle of the plate and Julio cranks it 100.
And 8.6 miles an hour out to deep left center and you’re starting to smell it.
You’re starting to think, could the Mariners be on their way to the first World Series in franchise history?
That feeling only grows in the fifth inning, with the big dumper himself, Cal Raley takes one off of Louis Varland, maybe the worst pitch of the entire series.
Advertisement
94 mile an hour changeup, middle, down a little bit.
And Cal golfs it up 102.1 to right field, 381 ft. Mariners up 3 to 1.
I’m looking at flights to Seattle.
I won’t lie.
Probably shouldn’t have done that.
My apologies to the Mariners fans.
Because in the top of the 7th, George Springer ignites the north.
I mean, this, where do you even begin?
This is one of the most iconic swings in recent postseason history, and it’s just pandemonium at the Rogers Center.
I mean, the camera is like shaking before the ball even leaves the yard.
It is one of those.
Moments that makes us, you know, sift through every move in the offseason and do spring training monotony and the humdrum dog days of August.
Advertisement
It’s all for this.
Like this is, this is it.
And Springer delivers his 23rd home run of his postseason career, tying Kyle Schwarber for 3rd on the all-time list.
It was the first go-ahead home run while trailing by multiple runs in the 7th inning or later in Game 7 history.
That comes courtesy of the one and only Sarah Langs.
And there were 6 outs left, technically.
Didn’t really feel like it.
This was a backbreaker.
The Mariners did not have another counterpunch in them.
What a win, what a series.
Um, Vlad wins ALCS MVP and yeah, go watch the highlights again, like this game ruled.
I’m Jake Mitz for Yahoo Sports.
See you at the World Series.