TORONTO — In a thrilling match that clinched their spot in the AL Championship Series for the first time in nearly a quarter-century, the Seattle Mariners triumphed over the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 on Sunday night. Cal Raleigh’s home run and Jorge Polanco’s decisive sixth-inning single were pivotal in securing the victory.

The game started with a bang as George Springer blasted a homer off Bryce Miller’s first pitch. Despite this rocky start, Miller skillfully maneuvered out of a two-on situation in an intense 27-pitch opening inning.

Toronto struggled offensively, managing only one more hit—a single from Anthony Santander in the second inning. The Mariners’ pitching staff, including Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andrés Muñoz, dominated the game, retiring 23 of the last 24 Blue Jays hitters with remarkable efficiency, using just 100 pitches.

Raleigh, who topped the major leagues with 60 home runs this season, leveled the score in the sixth inning with his ninth homer in just 14 appearances at Rogers Centre. This was a significant feat against Kevin Gausman, who had previously held batters to 0 for 16 against his splitters during the postseason.

Polanco further cemented Seattle’s lead with a crucial single in the sixth inning and extended it with an RBI single in the eighth, rounding off a memorable night for the Mariners.