đź”— Share this article Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Overpower Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to AL Championship Series Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in two dozen years. Defensive Dominance on Display George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander hit a single in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay the Tigers over 15 frames. Key Batting Plays Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the homer by Raleigh. Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth. “We are a resilient squad, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.” Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto 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 MLB history. Record Accomplishments Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save. “This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.” Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the career list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 appearances against Gausman, who took the loss. Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home RodrĂguez, who was walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Seranthony DomĂnguez. Memorable Contest Highlights Eugenio Suárez doubled off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, Seattle’s field included. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the opening frame.