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Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in two dozen years.

Defensive Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for the Blue Jays' only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outplay Detroit over 15 innings.

Key Offensive Plays

Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the home run by the catcher.

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

“We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. 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 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game Division Series against the Yankees. Miller, the winner, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had perfect innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

“This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Blue Jays 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 all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, hit a single off Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez.

Notable Game Moments

Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh against Louis Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.