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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Defensive Dominance on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.

Key Batting Moments

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 postseason before the homer by Raleigh.

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

“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”

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

Record Achievements

Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 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 ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, 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, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Notable Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

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.