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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 frames.

Key Batting Moments

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

Polanco delivered a go-ahead base hit subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.

“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 the high pitch count the other day.”

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

Record Achievements

Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays 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, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Memorable Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, 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.