🔗 Share this article Raleigh Homers as Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to ALCS Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years. Pitching Dominance on Show George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 innings. Key Offensive Plays Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score 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 playoffs before the home run by the catcher. Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth. “We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw 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 Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history. Record Accomplishments Seattle, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks 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, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.” Springer's 21st playoff homer broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat. Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez. Memorable Game 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 home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.