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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.

Key Batting Plays

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 previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by Raleigh.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”

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

Historic Achievements

Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series 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 Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, 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 is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”

Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended 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 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 Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis 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 pitch off it in the first inning.