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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners defeated the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

Defensive Mastery on Display

George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings.

Key Batting Plays

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

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

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

Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion 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.

Record Achievements

Seattle, the only MLB team 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 Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

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

Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. 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 against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.