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

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. 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.

Key Batting Moments

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw 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 most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.

Record Accomplishments

The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had perfect 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 playoff homer ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, 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 took the loss.

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

Memorable Contest Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.

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.