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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.

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 Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.

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

“We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.”

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

Historic Accomplishments

The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host 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 playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”

Springer's 21st playoff homer ended 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 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.

Notable Contest Highlights

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

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.