Mariners Advance to ALCS with 15-Inning Victory Over Tigers
Seattle defeats Detroit 3-2 in a record 15-inning game to reach their first ALCS since 2001.
The Seattle Mariners secured a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in a 15-inning Game 5 of the American League Division Series, marking the longest winner-take-all game in postseason history. Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive hit with a bases-loaded single in the bottom of the 15th inning.
Luis Castillo (1-0) earned the win in his first major league relief appearance, pitching one and one-third innings. This victory propels the Mariners to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2001, where they will face the Toronto Blue Jays. Game 1 is scheduled for Sunday in Toronto.
The game saw notable performances from both teams. Detroit's Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning, accounting for all of the Tigers' runs. Seattle responded in the seventh with pinch hitter Leo Rivas' RBI single, tying the game at 2-2.
Both teams had multiple scoring opportunities in extra innings, with the Mariners grounding into inning-ending double plays in both the 12th and 13th innings.
Starting pitchers Tarik Skubal of Detroit and George Kirby of Seattle delivered strong performances. Skubal allowed one run on two hits over six innings, striking out 13 and setting a major league postseason record with seven consecutive strikeouts. Kirby pitched five-plus innings, allowing one run on three hits with six strikeouts.
The Mariners' victory sets up a matchup with the Blue Jays, both teams having entered the league as expansion franchises in 1977.