Here are three instant impressions after the Mariners’ 6-2 win over the Blue Jays in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series on Friday at T-Mobile Park. Seattle leads the series 3-2.
MVP moment
Remember Aaron Goldsmith’s excellent call of the night Cal Raleigh hit his 60th home run and when he crossed home plate he screamed “Your MVP moment, Cal Raleigh!”
He was a couple of weeks early defining that as Raleigh’s MVP moment.
The nervous energy inside T-Mobile Park going into the bottom of the eighth inning was palpable. You could feel the nail biting, the teeth grinding, the little shakes that come when anxiety and tension meet and leave a chill on the spine.
And here came Raleigh, leading off the inning.
Toronto manager John Schneider knew the numbers, that Raleigh was no longer a liability as a right-handed hitter. But he decided to bring in lefty Brendon Little and force Raleigh to hit what for his career has been his weaker side.
It will not be the most majestic homer when looking back at his magical season Raleigh has put together. But the eruption of noise and relief when his towering fly ball hit the leather of a fan’s glove in Edgar’s in left field and not that of left fielder Myles Straw was seismographic.
MVP votes were required to be submitted following the final day of the regular season. You won’t find a much bigger MVP moment than that.
It also shouldn’t be forgotten the play Raleigh made to start a double play when Toronto had the bases loaded and no outs in the fourth inning and failed to score. He’s not just a slugger.
The Geno game
While Raleigh’s homer relieved anxiety — hey, the game was at least tied — it was Eugenio Suárez who cashed in on the meltdown by Toronto’s beleaguered bullpen.
Bases loaded. No outs. Just get a run home.
Suárez did much more than that. He didn’t get jumpy at the plate considering the situation. He got into a good count against Seranthony Dominguez and when a fastball was left out over the plate, Suárez became the seventh player in postseason history with a go-ahead grand slam in the eighth inning or later.
Remember, it was Suárez who was the only one that could figure out Kevin Gausman through the first six innings with his solo home run in the second inning. That was cool. His swing in the eighth will long be in Mariners immortality.
The moment went beyond the eruption inside the stadium. Bars, restaurants, watch parties, fans at home in their living rooms. Heck, there were even reports of fans watching on flights and breaking out in cheers. This was a moment that won’t be forgotten ever in Seattle, especially if the M’s close this out.
Never this close
It’s pretty simple: The Seattle Mariners have never been this close to going to the World Series. They had never won three games in an ALCS until now. They are 27 outs from no longer holding the moniker of being the only team to never reach the Fall Classic.
It won’t be easy. Toronto was great at home. But the M’s have two chances starting Sunday night at Rogers Centre to finally get there.