🔗 Share this article Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Overpower Toronto 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 Seattle Mariners beat the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they made their return to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years. Pitching Dominance on Show George Springer launched a homer on the opening delivery from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-delivery opening frame. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for Toronto’s only other hit, and Mariners pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 deliveries under two days after the Seattle team needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 innings. Crucial Batting Plays Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 appearances at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the homer by the catcher. Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning. “We’re a tough team, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Our pitchers performed today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the previous game.” AL West champion Seattle journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history. Record Accomplishments The Mariners, the sole MLB franchise to not have hosted a World Series game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Toronto squad had 50 hits along with 34 runs in their four-game playoff 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 getting the save. “This will be a fiercely contested series, for sure,” Toronto manager John Schneider said. “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 appearances against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat. Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to bring home Rodríguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against Seranthony Domínguez. Memorable Contest Moments Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence 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. Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.