đź”— Share this article Cal Raleigh Homers as Mariners Stifle Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Comeback to AL Championship Series Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years. Defensive Mastery on Show George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and AndrĂ©s Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings. Crucial 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 homer by Raleigh. Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and contributed an RBI single in the eighth. “We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.” AL West champion Seattle journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history. Historic Achievements Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just 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, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing 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 broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat. Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home RodrĂguez, who was walked by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony DomĂnguez. Notable Game Moments Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included. Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.