🔗 Share this article Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Overpower Blue Jays in Much-Anticipated Return to ALCS Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive run with a sixth-inning single, and the Mariners overcame the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday evening as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years. Pitching Dominance on Display George Springer homered on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of 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 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet joined forces to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 throws to outlast Detroit over 15 frames. Crucial Batting Plays Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, 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 homer by Raleigh. Polanco hit a go-ahead single 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 stated. “Pitchers came out today, extremely impressive. They were outstanding. Especially short rest and the high pitch count the previous game.” Seattle, the AL West titleholder traveled to AL East winner Toronto on the prior day after a 3-2 home victory 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 sole MLB franchise to never host a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 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 deliveries. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz getting the save. “This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.” Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Derek Jeter of the Yankees, moving him into sole possession of fifth place on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 appearances 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 walked by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against Domínguez. Notable Contest Moments Eugenio Suárez hit a double against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Varland. The 395-foot hit would have been a home run in 15 of 30 big league ballparks, including Seattle. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes exited in the fourth. Lukes sustained a right knee bruise when he fouled a pitch off it in the first inning.