Mariners Defeat Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Showdown to Move On to AL Championship Series in Over Two Decades
During an intense extra-inning battle, the Mariners' infielder delivered the decisive score with a base hit to right field, sealing a narrow victory for the Seattle Mariners over the Detroit Tigers in the decisive game of the American League Division Series.
Decisive Plays in the Extended Matchup
The Mariners pitcher, making his initial bullpen outing in the big leagues, pitched one and one-third innings to secure the win, sending his team to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in over two decades.
The Mariners will now compete against the Blue Jays for the pennant in a contest between 1977 expansion counterparts. The series opener is scheduled for the weekend in Toronto.
15th Inning Breakthrough
- The leadoff hitter initiated the bottom of the last inning with a line-drive single to the outfield.
- Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch, putting runners on the bases.
- After a teammate flied out, a fielding mistake by the center fielder allowed Crawford to take third.
- Following an intentional walk, Polanco connected on a 3-2 pitch to conclude the contest.
Key Runs and Pitching Efforts
A Tigers hitter accounted for all of Detroit's scoring with a home run in the sixth inning.
Seattle evened the score at two runs apiece in the later inning on a pinch hitter's RBI single.
Each squad posed a danger multiple times in extra innings, with the Mariners grounding into twin killings in both the later extra innings.
Starting Pitchers Duel
Tarik Skubal and the Mariners' starter engaged in a pitchers' duel in the early innings.
The left-hander, a Cy Young Award favorite, gave up one run on a couple of hits with zero bases on balls and double-digit K's over six innings. He established a playoff mark with back-to-back K's.
The only run came in the second inning, when a double, stolen base, and deep out brought home a point for the home side.
The Mariners' pitcher opened with five scoreless innings before allowing a lead-off double in the middle inning. After a pitching change, the Tigers batter went deep on a pitch to give Detroit the advantage.
The starter lasted over five frames and was charged with one run on a few hits with zero free passes and six strikeouts.
The win signifies a significant achievement for the Mariners, who move forward to compete for a place in the World Series after a long postseason absence.
