Raleigh’s Homer Sends Mariners to ALCS, Shuts Down Blue Jays

The Seattle Mariners punched their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the first time in 24 years with a gritty 3–1 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday night. It was a showcase of clutch hitting and lockdown pitching.

Seattle overcame an early deficit and shut down a dangerous Toronto offense. The win capped off an emotional week for the Mariners, who had just emerged from one of the most dramatic playoff series in MLB history.

Seattle Ends a Two-Decade ALCS Drought

For Mariners fans, this win means far more than just advancing in the playoffs. It marks the end of a generation-long wait, as Seattle’s last appearance in the ALCS dates back to 2001.

Playing in front of a raucous crowd at Rogers Centre, the Mariners seized the moment with timely offense and relentless pitching.

Cal Raleigh’s Power Swing Turns the Tide

Toronto struck first when veteran slugger George Springer crushed the opening pitch for a solo home run, his 21st postseason blast. That shot pushed him past Derek Jeter into fifth place on MLB’s all-time playoff homer list.

The Mariners didn’t flinch. In the sixth inning, Cal Raleigh—who’s made Rogers Centre look like a backyard ballpark for himself this year—smashed a game-tying home run off Kevin Gausman’s splitter.

Raleigh has now hit nine homers in his past 14 games at the venue, which is just wild. Moments later, Jorge Polanco delivered a sharp single to put Seattle in front.

Polanco came through again in the eighth with an insurance RBI single, giving the Mariners a little breathing room heading into the final frames.

Bryce Miller Anchors a Dominant Pitching Effort

Bryce Miller showed impressive resilience after a shaky start. After giving up Springer’s leadoff homer and escaping a two-on situation in the first inning, Miller settled in and delivered six strong innings.

He managed to reset emotionally and find his rhythm. That proved crucial for Seattle.

Pitching Staff Locks Down the Blue Jays

Seattle’s bullpen was nearly flawless. Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, and Andrés Muñoz teamed up with Miller to hold Toronto to just two total hits.

They retired 23 of the final 24 batters. That kind of command and efficiency was remarkable, especially with the team’s recent workload—just two days earlier, Mariners pitchers threw 209 pitches in a 15-inning marathon win over Detroit.

On Sunday, Seattle’s staff needed only 100 pitches to seal the win. The Blue Jays just couldn’t square up balls consistently.

Toronto’s Offense Stalls at the Worst Time

Coming off an impressive Division Series where they outhit and outscored the New York Yankees, the Blue Jays’ bats went cold. Toronto managed virtually no sustained offensive threat outside of Springer’s leadoff shot.

To make matters worse, outfielder Nathan Lukes exited early with a bruised knee, further depleting their lineup.

Gausman’s Splitter Falters

Kevin Gausman came in with a flawless record using his splitter this postseason—nobody had managed a hit off it. That streak ended in dramatic fashion with Raleigh’s sixth-inning blast.

Gausman took the loss, but he kept Toronto in the game until late. He just didn’t get the run support he needed.

The Road Ahead for Seattle

Seattle, the AL West champion, now advances to face the winner of the other American League Division Series. They just survived a grueling five-game set against Detroit—the longest winner-take-all game in MLB history.

The Mariners showed the kind of mental toughness you need in October baseball. That’s not something you see every year.

• Key Contributors: Raleigh’s power, Polanco’s timely hits, Miller’s steady pitching.
• Critical Turning Point: Sixth inning surge flipping the game’s momentum.
• Historical Milestone: First ALCS appearance for Seattle since 2001.
• Pitching Dominance: Retiring 23 of the last 24 Toronto batters faced.

For longtime fans, this victory feels like the end of an era and the start of something new. After decades of waiting, Seattle is back on baseball’s biggest stage.

The lineup blends power and patience. The pitching staff, frankly, just refuses to crack under pressure.

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Here is the source article for this story: MLB playoffs: Raleigh homers as Mariners stifle Blue Jays in long-awaited return to ALCS