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Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the decisive run with a sixth frame single, and the Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

Pitching Mastery on Display

George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-delivery first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers set down 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.

Crucial Batting Plays

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

Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an RBI single in the eighth.

“We’re a tough team, you know, one through nine,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Especially 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 Tigers to win the Division Series in the most extended decisive contest in Major League Baseball history.

Historic Achievements

The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic 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, fanned three and issued three walks in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The three relievers each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save.

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

Springer’s 21st postseason home run ended 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 at-bats against Gausman, who suffered the defeat.

Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, hit a single off Brendon Little to bring home Julio Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Domínguez.

Notable Contest Moments

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 half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included.

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.