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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Defensive Mastery on Display

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 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 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.

Key Batting Moments

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning 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 the catcher.

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

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

AL West champion Seattle 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 longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.

Record Achievements

Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted 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 playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. 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 Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who took the loss.

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.

Notable 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 exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.