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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth-inning 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.

Pitching Mastery on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.

Crucial Batting Moments

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

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, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in MLB history.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just 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, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”

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

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony Domínguez.

Notable Game Highlights

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.