TORONTO — George Springer hit the go-ahead three-run home run in the seventh inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Seattle Mariners 4-3 Monday night to advance to their first World Series since 1993.
Springer’s 23rd career postseason homer helped the Blue Jays win Game 7 of the American League Championship Series. They will face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series, hosting Game 1 on Friday.
Toronto won the title in each of its previous two World Series appearances, in 1992 and 1993. The Blue Jays and the then-Florida 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.
The Blue Jays deployed six pitchers in all. After reliever Seranthony Dominguez pitched 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.
Another regular Toronto starter, Chris Bassitt, pitched a perfect eighth. Jeff Hoffman struck out the side in the ninth to earn the save.
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. He was later called for runner’s interference when he jumped and his batting helmet made contact with a throw from second.
Toronto answered with a run in the bottom of the inning against George Kirby. Springer walked, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. grounded a single to left and Daulton Varsho 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 ended the inning on Rodriguez’s 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.
Kirby pitched four innings, allowing one run, four hits and one walk with three strikeouts before Woo took over for 2 1/3 frames.
