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Cal Raleigh homered, 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 AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.

Pitching Dominance on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. 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 less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.

Crucial Batting Moments

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run 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 the catcher.

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

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win 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 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 Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, 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,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.”

Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who took the loss.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Memorable Game Moments

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, including Seattle.

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.