Blue Jays to face Dodgers in first World Series in 32 years
A clutch three-run homer by George Springer in the seventh inning turned the game around in Toronto, helping the home side clinch the American League Championship Series 4–3 overall.
George Springer celebrates
The Toronto Blue Jays pulled off a dramatic 4-3 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Monday to qualify for their first World Series since 1993, where they'll face the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers.
A clutch three-run homer by George Springer in the seventh inning in Toronto flipped the score, as the hosts emerged victorious in the American League Championship Series with an overall 4–3 win.
The Mariners will the only team never to have reached the World Series — a ticket they let slip away in the final two games of these playoffs.
The Blue Jays will enjoy home-field advantage in the World Series against defending champion Dodgers, beginning with Game 1 on Friday.
Its 39,000 fans celebrated in style as the Canadian ninth returned to the Fall Classic for the first time since winning its only two titles, with back-to-back triumphs in 1992 and 1993 against the Braves and Phillies.
Toronto forced the seventh and final game with an emphatic win on Sunday, led by Dominican-Canadian Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who was named the series Most Valuable Player (MVP) on Monday.
When they were on the ropes, trailing 3–1 in the seventh inning, the Blue Jays relied on the clutch magic of George Springer in the playoffs.
The 36-year-old American came to the rescue with a hit off Venezuelan reliever Eduard Bazardo that drove in the three winning runs.
Springer reached 23 home runs in the postseason, the third-highest total in MLB history behind Dominican Manny Ramirez’s 29 and Venezuelan José Altuve’s 27.
Seattle extends its curse
The Mariners had led on the scoreboard at Rogers Centre for much of the night.
Canadian ballplayer Josh Naylor gave Toronto the first blow with a run-scoring single off Dominican Julio Rodríguez in the opening inning.
The home side responded in the same frame with an RBI single off Daulton Varsho, allowing George Springer to drive in a run.
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Decisive 7th
Rodríguez put Seattle ahead again with a 129-foot home run off the experienced Shane Bieber in the third inning.
In the fifth inning, it was Cal Raleigh, the regular-season home run leader, who punished reliever Louis Varland with another homer to put Seattle up 3–1.
Tension grew at Rogers Centre as the innings progressed, with no contribution from Toronto’s sluggers.
The final assault came in the seventh inning, when the Blue Jays loaded the bases with runners on second and third and just one out.
The Mariners then replaced Bryan Woo with Venezuelan reliever Eduard Bazardo, who could not stop Springer’s decisive home run that sent Toronto to the World Series for the first time this century.
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