đź”— Share this article Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Stifle Toronto Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Return to ALCS Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single, and the Seattle Mariners defeated the Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they made their return to the ALCS for the initial occasion in 24 years. Pitching Dominance on Display George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander hit a single 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 AndrĂ©s Muñoz joined forces to throw just 100 pitches less than 48 hours after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outplay Detroit over 15 innings. Crucial Batting Plays Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had previously kept batters hitless on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh. Polanco hit a go-ahead single subsequently in the frame and added an run-scoring single in the eighth inning. “We are a resilient squad, as you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.” Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to Toronto, the AL East champion on Saturday after a 3-2 win at home over the Detroit Tigers to win the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history. Record Achievements Seattle, the only MLB team to never host a World Series game, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, fanned three and issued three walks in six frames, throwing 72 deliveries. The three relievers each had perfect innings, with Muñoz securing the save. “This is going to be a hard-fought series, for sure,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “Our team will be prepared for it.” Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who took the loss. Polanco, who had the game-ending single Friday, singled against Brendon Little to bring home RodrĂguez, who was issued a walk by the pitcher. Polanco added another RBI single against DomĂnguez. Notable Contest Highlights Eugenio Suárez hit a double off the top of the right-field wall in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a homer in half of MLB stadiums, Seattle’s field included. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the opening frame.