🔗 Share this article Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Overpower Toronto Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Comeback to ALCS Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years. Pitching Mastery on Display George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 frames. Key Batting Plays Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. 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 subsequently in the frame and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth inning. “We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the other day.” AL West champion Seattle traveled to Toronto, the AL East champion 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 MLB history. Record Achievements Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the New York Yankees. Miller, the winner, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save. “This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “Our team will be prepared for it.” Springer's 21st playoff homer ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against 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 Contest Moments Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle. 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.