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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat 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 Dominance on Display

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s sole additional 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 Seattle team 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 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by Raleigh.

Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an RBI single in the eighth.

“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”

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

Historic Accomplishments

The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared 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 homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.

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

Notable Contest Moments

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 home run 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 ball into his knee in the first inning.