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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Defensive Mastery on Display

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 frames.

Key Batting Moments

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by the catcher.

Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit later in the inning and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth inning.

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day 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 never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York 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 securing the save.

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

Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who took the loss.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Memorable Contest Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included.

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