TORONTO — George Springer provided a bit of postseason history so dramatic, his manager had trouble dealing with the fact that Game 7 of American League Championship Series wasn’t over yet.
The Blue Jays’ designated hitter belted a go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning and Toronto defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-3 on Monday night to advance to its first World Series since 1993.
“That moment will live with me forever,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “I’ll never forget what I was watching. I’ll never forget how I felt and then you had to go back to managing the game. That was the hardest part. It was literally goose bumps. You almost black out.”
Thanks to Springer’s 23rd career postseason homer, Toronto will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, hosting Game 1 on Friday.
“I love this team so much,” Springer said. “Everybody believes in each other. We stay in the moment. We don’t try to do too much. And have a lot of belief in the guy in the mound, the guys in the field, the guy in the batter’s box.”
Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was selected the ALCS MVP, added, “The job’s not finished. We’ve got four more to go.”
Guerrero batted .385 (10-for-26) with three doubles, three home runs, three RBIs and four walks in the ALCS.
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.
“It’s a special team in there. It’s a shame we had to come out on the wrong side of this one,” Seattle manager Dan Wilson said.
The Blue Jays deployed six pitchers in all. After reliever Seranthony Dominguez tossed 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 center. 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-center 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).
“Bazardo’s been doing it all season long and has been so consistent at it and he’s done such a good job all year,” Wilson said. “We felt really comfortable with him out there, the way he’s been throwing the ball, especially in this series, and it was a good spot for him.”
Another regular Toronto starter, Chris Bassitt, pitched a perfect eighth. Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save, fanning Rodriguez to end the game and spark the Blue Jays’ celebrations.
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, Guerrero grounded a single to left and Daulton Varsho (2-for-4) scooped an RBI ground single to center 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.
“I think all of us now have had a taste of how close we can get and how good this team can be,” Wilson said. “So I think once you get that, that’s what you’re shooting for again the next year, and I know that will continue to be the goal.”
–Larry Millson, Field Level Media
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