🔗 Share this article

Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in two dozen years.

Defensive Dominance on Show

George Springer homered on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a two-on jam in a 27-pitch opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 innings.

Crucial Batting Plays

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by the catcher.

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

“We are a resilient squad, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.”

Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled 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 most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.

Record Accomplishments

Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a Fall Classic 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, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.”

Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, 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, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Notable Game Moments

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

Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.