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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years.

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 innings.

Key Offensive Moments

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

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

“We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”

AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.

Record Accomplishments

Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”

Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke 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 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.

Memorable Game Highlights

Eugenio Suárez doubled 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 half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.