Mariners silence Blue Jays after early homer to win ALCS Game 1

TORONTO — Cal Raleigh homered, Jorge Polanco drove in the go-ahead run with a sixth-inning single and the Seattle Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the first time in 24 years.

George Springer homered on the first pitch from Bryce Miller, who then escaped a two-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning.

Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’s only other hit, and Seattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’ final 24 batters as Miller, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash and Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches.

Raleigh, who led the major leagues with 60 homers, tied the score in the sixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at Rogers Centre, Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the homer by Raleigh.