Eventually, Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s fears came true. Before the ALCS game 1, Schneider tried to put the team’s past feud with Mariners’ star Cal Raleigh behind them, saying, “I don’t want that to be the narrative in this series at all. I think he’s a phenomenal player.” But once Raleigh faced the Jays, he turned on a whole different level. Not only did he crush a homer, but he also seemed to control the Mariners’ pitching to shut down Toronto’s usually hot offense.

The result? The Mariners took Game 1 of the ALCS, 3-1. The Jays could only manage a leadoff run from George Springer, and rest till the ninth inning; it was a show of choking the Jays’ defense. So, how was it made possible? Raleigh explained exactly how Seattle pulled off the win.

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine. Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.” Raleigh is impressed with how the Mariners’ pitchers performed tonight.

Well, it all started with Miller, who got a rude welcome when Springer blasted the very first pitch of the night for a leadoff homer. But Miller quickly settled in, tossing six strong innings of two-hit ball. From there, the Mariners’ staff completely took over. They gave up just one more hit and no runs over the next 27 outs to lock down a 3-1 win.

What’s more commendable is that the Mariners needed only 100 pitches in total to choke the Blue Jays!

And for the Blue Jays, after averaging 8.5 runs per game in the Division Series, their bats fell flat. Thus, ending their six-game home winning streak. Even Vladimir Guerrero Jr. was among those who struggled, going 0-for-4 with no hits or runs. And to make matters worse, Miller did all this on just three days’ rest after that grueling 15-inning Game 5 against the Tigers.

As for Cal Raleigh, he didn’t need much offense to make noise. Still carrying that chip on his shoulder against Toronto, he launched a solo homer off Kevin Gausman that completely changed the game’s tone! Hence, it was absolutely a Mariners’ night…

The Mariners’ pitching is catching all the limelight

Well, pitching has been the backbone of the Mariners’ postseason surge, and it’s showing no signs of slowing down. If you remember, the Mariners outclassed the Tigers in the 15-inning ALDS Game 5, allowing only two runs all through the innings. Now, fast forward to Game 1 of the ALCS, and the story hasn’t changed.

Moreover, Seattle has surrendered just three runs across their last 24 innings. And in that span, they’ve given up just 10 hits and eight walks, showing the kind of control and composure that defines championship-caliber pitching. So, even though the Mariners’ offense is nothing extraordinary, their pitching is making up for all the gaps!

Remember, the Mariners co-led the league last year with a 3.49 ERA. Now, they are looking as dominant as last year. And not to forget the way Cal Raleigh is managing games behind the plate. So, with that being said, the Mariners look like a team built to control the tempo. And they’re doing exactly that as they chase the franchise’s first World Series berth.