đź”— Share this article Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Mariners Stifle Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to ALCS Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the winning run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in two dozen years. Pitching Mastery on Show George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 deliveries less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 pitches to outlast the Tigers over 15 innings. Crucial Offensive Moments Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 games at Rogers Centre. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the playoffs before the home run by Raleigh. Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning. “We’re a tough team, as you know, one through nine,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the other day.” Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history. Historic Accomplishments The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to never host a World Series game, limited Toronto to just 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, struck out three and walked three in six frames, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save. “This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.” Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh's home run was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who took the loss. Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home RodrĂguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony DomĂnguez. Notable Game Highlights Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a homer in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle. Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.