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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Pitching Dominance on Display

George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.

Crucial Batting Moments

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer 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 Raleigh.

Polanco hit a go-ahead single 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 said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.

Record Accomplishments

Seattle, the sole MLB franchise 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 Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save.

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

Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Memorable Contest Highlights

Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.