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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' only other 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 less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.

Crucial Batting Plays

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score 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 home run by Raleigh.

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

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.”

AL West champion Seattle traveled to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday 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 Accomplishments

The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto 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 Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Memorable Game Highlights

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

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.