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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.

Defensive Dominance on Show

George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames.

Key Batting Moments

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the homer by Raleigh.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

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

Record Achievements

The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” 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 career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

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

Memorable Game Highlights

Eugenio Suárez hit a double 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 half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.