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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames.

Key Batting Plays

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by the catcher.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”

AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”

Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Notable Contest Moments

Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning 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.