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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years.

Pitching Dominance on Display

George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.

Key Batting Plays

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by Raleigh.

Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI single in the eighth inning.

“We’re a tough team, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

AL West champion Seattle journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.

Record Accomplishments

Seattle, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”

Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.

Memorable Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.