Jays Watch: Miller's gem helps Mariners steal Game 1

Welcome to Jays Watch, where we'll have you covered throughout the Toronto Blue Jays' postseason run. Here are our takeaways from the Seattle Mariners' 3-1 win in Sunday's ALCS Game 1.

'He kept throwing the ball so well'

The Mariners' biggest question mark heading into Game 1 turned out to be their biggest strength.

Seattle needed to go to Bryce Miller on short rest after throwing starters George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo in its marathon Game 5 win in the ALDS.

Miller, who allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings in the ALDS' Game 4, absolutely dominated Sunday against the Blue Jays.

"Coming back tonight and getting Game 1 is obviously a big momentum shift for us," Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.

After surrendering a home run to George Springer on the first pitch of the game, the 27-year-old was virtually unhittable and kept the Blue Jays off balance all night. Miller didn't overpower anyone, only striking out three over six innings and generating eight whiffs. However, he limited hard contact. Only five of the 17 balls the Blue Jays put into play off Miller had an exit velocity over 100 mph.

"The job that Bryce Miller did tonight was phenomenal," Wilson said. "I thought after that first inning, he went into a different gear, and you saw him getting ahead using all his stuff. The fastball kept coming out really good."

Wilson likely didn't dream he'd get six innings from Miller, and having his starter pitch deep into the game allowed him to deploy his best relief arms. Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andres Muñoz threw three perfect innings, converting nine outs on 24 pitches.

Seattle's arms needed just 100 pitches in the game compared to Toronto's 129.

"It was one of those situations where you knew the bullpen was ready to bail him out at any time, but he just kept coming out, and he kept throwing the ball so well," Wilson said.

The Blue Jays' offensive outburst starkly contrasted their dominating performance against the New York Yankees in the last series, especially against their starters.

Springer's home run represented 50% of the Blue Jays' hits for the entire contest Sunday. The team didn't post a hit after the second inning, and it managed just one baserunner over the final seven frames. Toronto's two hits were the fewest in a postseason game in franchise history.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. finished 0-for-4, though he had two of the six hardest-hit balls of the night.

For Miller to do what he did on just three days' rest, facing a lineup that put up 34 runs over four games in the ALDS, is incredible. His performance gives the Mariners a shot at no worse than a split before heading back out west, and it came when Seattle could've easily had enough excuses to justify a loss.

'He's been unbelievable'

Jorge Polanco's only 6-for-26 this postseason, but almost every one of those hits has come in big moments.

The Mariners' second baseman homered twice off Tarik Skubal in a 3-2 win in Game 2 of the ALDS, collected the walk-off single in the series-clincher in Game 5, and opened the ALCS by driving in the winning run in Game 1.

"He's been unbelievable," Cal Raleigh told Jon Morosi of MLB Network about Polanco. "He's been so clutch for us this last month and into the playoffs. He's been what we really needed."

Seattle's offense presents a much different look for Toronto's pitching compared to New York's. The lineup is deep, powerful, and incredibly athletic. Just look at how the Mariners scored their three runs in Game 1:

• 6th inning: Raleigh solo home run
• 6th inning: Julio Rodríguez walks, wild pitch, Polanco RBI-single
• 8th inning: Randy Arozarena walks, steals second and third base, Polanco RBI-single

Two of the three runs Seattle scored originated by putting a fast runner on base via a walk and allowing them to get an extra 90 feet by either a wild pitch or a stolen base.

Before Rodríguez and Arozarena manufactured runs with their legs, Raleigh's big swing - a 420-foot homer - tied the game. Considering how the Blue Jays tried their best to pitch around Aaron Judge in the ALDS, it was a bit confusing to see the club not give Raleigh the same treatment in a 1-0 matchup.

The Mariners catcher hit 60 homers during the regular season and posted a 1.051 OPS during the ALDS. Sure, there were two outs in the inning and Rodríguez is an imposing presence on deck, but the Jays need to let anyone other than Raleigh beat them.

"I think every time he comes to the plate, I'm considering it," manager John Schneider said of intentionally walking Raleigh. "Great hitters and hitters in general, I think they capitalize on mistakes, and that split from (Kevin Gausman) kind of just leaked back over the middle a little bit."

We'll see if Schneider's decision-making changes moving forward.

'This one's on me'

While Schneider pushed all the right buttons during the Blue Jays' bullpen game in the ALDS, his decision to lift Kevin Gausman after allowing just one run on 76 pitches over 5 2/3 innings will be second-guessed.

That's how life goes for an MLB manager.

Gausman retired 16 consecutive batters before the Raleigh dinger in the sixth inning. The right-hander followed by walking Rodríguez, and that was enough for Schneider to summon Brendon Little from the bullpen to face Polanco.

Seattle was clearly happy to see Gausman leave.

"I wish there was a little more swing and miss. You've got a fully rested bullpen, and wanted him to get Julio," Schneider said of his decision to pull Gausman. "It's kinda pick your poison there. I was kinda just reading the situation after the walk. You try to squash it - you're not expecting the wild pitch and things like that.

"I thought Kev threw the ball really well. Kinda did what we expected him to do."

The switch-hitting Polanco actually has better numbers facing lefties this season (.896 OPS vs. LHP/ .808 vs. RHP), so bringing in Little ran contrary to the platoon advantage. Little immediately threw a wild pitch, allowing Rodríguez to advance into scoring position, and then surrendered a single to Polanco that plated the eventual winning run.

"I know Kev had retired him twice. I get it, totally get it. I think it's a good thing to turn switch-hitters around, at times, and I think it depends on who you're bringing in and what they're going to be featuring, so that's what made sense in the moment," Schneider said.

Little's tendency to struggle throwing strikes cost him in Game 1, raising the question of whether Schneider will lean on fellow southpaw Mason Fluharty in future high-leverage opportunities.

Gausman, for his part, took the blame for the outing.

"I thought I was pitching pretty well, and the last two guys I faced were a home run and a walk, so I'm not too happy about that," Gausman said. "We're in the playoffs, you don't really see guys go that deep into games.

"I try to just do my job as much as I can. Like I said, I gave up a home run and a walk. Up to that point, I had been throwing the ball really well, had the game right there. This one's on me."

'We'll see how he is tomorrow'

Nathan Lukes' health could play a significant part in the remainder of the series.

Lukes fouled a ball off his knee in the first inning and was removed later in the game. Schneider said Lukes' X-rays and CT scan returned negative for a fracture, adding that he'll likely be in the lineup for Game 2 if he's medically cleared. The Blue Jays will certainly need him.

"He's doing all right," Schneider said. "Nate is one of those guys, he doesn't want to come out of a game ever. I think if he's medically good to play tomorrow, he'll be in there. There's no fracture or anything, but that was a hell of an at-bat after - before and after fouling the ball off his knee, so we'll see how he is tomorrow."

Not only has Lukes enjoyed a strong postseason (.819 OPS), but he's a key part of the top of the lineup against the Mariners' predominantly right-handed pitching staff.

Slotting in Lukes' left-handed bat into the lineup helps break up Springer and Guerrero, while allowing Addison Barger to hit fourth. Toronto doesn't really have another great alternative to replace Lukes in the two-hole should he miss time. He's also one of the Blue Jays' better defenders.