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Have you caught your breath yet after that winner-take-all game, the second of this postseason? Hope so because there is another one today. The Seattle Mariners outlasted the Detroit Tigers to move on to the AL Championship Series in a riveting 15-inning victory. It will be a quick turnaround for the Mariners, who have to travel to play the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 1 on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs will see what they have in store for their own Game 5 of the NL Division Series to figure out who will be the last team in MLB’s final four. The Brewers and Cubs play at 8:08 p.m. ET.
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Division Series Digest
Mariners Survive 15-Inning Marathon, Advance To ALCS
Final score: Mariners 3, Tigers 2 (15 innings)
Series: Mariners win 3-2
Next game: Mariners at Blue Jays in Game 1 of AL Championship Series, Sunday, 8:03 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre (Fox)
Thirty years and a few days later, the Seattle Mariners got another iconic AL Division Series walk-off from the one that saved baseball in the Emerald City. And 24 years after their last trip to the AL Championship Series, the Mariners are finally going back. In a 15-inning thriller — the longest winner-take-all game in MLB postseason history — Jorge Polanco’s bases-loaded single to right with one out scored J.P. Crawford from third base as the Mariners edged the Detroit Tigers 3-2 at T-Mobile Park. Their reward? A trip to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, with Game 1 on Sunday between the top two seeds in the AL.
It was an elimination game that featured tremendous pitching, especially by Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, unexpected contributions, a big replay review and starting pitchers coming on in relief. But it boiled down to the Mariners putting things together at the right time. After no runs had been scored since the Mariners tied it in the seventh, Tigers changeup specialist Tommy Kahnle came on to start the 15th. Crawford, the No. 9 hitter in the Mariners’ lineup, singled to right and Randy Arozarena was hit by the next pitch. Cal Raleigh, MLB’s regular-season home run king with 60, lined out to center with Crawford tagging up and easily making it to third. However, the throw from center fielder Parker Meadows was way off the mark, with Arozarena taking second. Julio Rodríguez was intentionally walked to load the bases to bring up Polanco. The second baseman, who underwent knee surgery to repair his patellar tendon exactly a year ago Friday, worked his way to a full count before he took a patented Kahnle changeup and lined it to right field to plate Crawford and electrify a T-Mobile Park crowd that was on its feet for almost the who 4 hours, 58 minutes of the game.
While the Mariners had the better chances in extras, with the Tigers needing double plays to end the 13th and 14th innings, Detroit seemed to have the better of the early action thanks to Skubal. Favored to win a second straight AL Cy Young Award, Skubal lived up to his reputation by giving the Tigers every shot to advance. The left-hander struck out 13, including a record seven straight, and allowed just two hits with no walks in six innings. He did allow one run as Josh Naylor doubled, stole third and scored on Mitch Garver’s sacrifice fly. Skubal is just the third pitcher with 13 strikeouts and no walks in a postseason game. He also matched those same two pitchers, Bob Gibson of the St. Louis Cardinals and Gerrit Cole of the New York Yankees, as having two 13-strikeout games in the same postseason, having struck out 14 in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series vs. the Cleveland Guardians. Skubal’s 13th strikeout came by whiffing Raleigh on a 100.9 mph four-seamer.
Skubal was amazing, but Mariners right-hander George Kirby was pretty good in his own right. Kirby pitched into the sixth inning, allowing three hits and no walks to go along with six strikeouts. He ran into trouble in the sixth after yielding a leadoff double to Javier Báez, Kirby’s final batter as Kerry Carpenter — who has five homers vs. Kirby this year and was 2-for-2 already — was due up. The Mariners went to left-hander Gabe Speier to face the lefty-hitting Carpenter, but the move backfired as Carpenter drilled his second homer of the postseason to put the Tigers up 2-1. Right-hander Kyle Finnegan took over for Skubal to begin the bottom of the seventh. Polanco drew a one-out walk and Naylor hit a sharp single with two outs to right. That brought in Tigers right-hander Tyler Holton to face pinch-hitter Leo Rivas, a career minor-leaguer with less than 100 MLB games under his belt. But Rivas, celebrating his 28th birthday, hit an 0-1 changeup to left field to plate Polanco with the tying run.
From there, both bullpens were in control. Tigers closer Will Vest struck out Raleigh and Rodriguez to end the eighth, then handed off to rookie Troy Melton, who was the Opening Day starter at Double-A who pitched three innings to pick up the win in Game 4. Melton went one inning, while Keider Montero and Jack Flaherty, usually a starter, each went two innings. Similarly, the Mariners called upon two starters in extra innings with Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo coming in.
The Tigers came the closest to scoring before the 15th. That came in the 12th inning, when, with one out and runners on second and third, Baez hit a grounder to third baseman Eugenio Suárez, who threw home to nail Zach McKinstry.
Tarik Skubal strikes out the side in the 3rd inning!SEVEN strikeouts for the @Tigers ace 🔥 #ALDS
Tarik Skubal's 99th pitch of the night?101 MPH strikeout 😮💨
By The Numbers
⚾ Kerry Carpenter of the Tigers became the third player in MLB postseason history to reach base six times in a postseason game and the first to do it in an elimination game. He also became the first to reach base four or more times in multiple games when facing elimination.
⚾ Jorge Polanco’s walk-off also added to some postseason lore.
Jorge Polanco with the 15th walk-off hit in a winner-take-all game in postseason history17th walk-off win in a winner-take-all game overallINCREDIBLY … the only other ALDS winner-take-all walk-off win?Edgar’s doubleBASEBALL!!!
⚾ Mitch Garver’s second-inning sacrifice fly made the Mariners the third team in MLB postseason history to be the first to score in every game of a five-game series.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Replay Controversy
Home plate umpire Alan Porter ruled that Victor Robles of the Mariners was hit by a pitch while squaring around the bunt in the 13th inning. Replay reviewed upheld the call despite the ball appearing to hit Robles’ bat before his right hand.
here's the "HBP" video for posterity's sake
Seismic Player
Josh Naylor lit up the Richter Scale in the second inning.
MVP-Level Defense
The perfect throw doesn’t ex…
Stretch Again …
Not that fans needed a reason to get up out of their seats, but the Mariners had a second seventh-inning stretch during the 14th inning.
The 14th inning stretch 😭
… And Another Salmon Run
The question we have about this is: Did they stay in costume the entire game?
They're doing a second Salmon Run.I repeat, they're doing a SECOND Salmon Run.
Kid In The House
Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. helped fire up the fans pregame by taking a drive around T-Mobile Park.
Best Birthday Ever?
Yeah, suffice it to say that Leo Rivas enjoyed turning 28 by having to play a baseball game.
Leo Rivas' best birthday ever 🥳Source: Leo Rivas
Noteworthy News
Mariners Could Have Woo For ALCS
Following a game in which they used three starters, including two in relief, the Mariners are going to need a fresh arm. They may have one on the way in right-hander Bryan Woo, who threw a bullpen session before Game 5 and appeared to come out of it feeling good. Woo was not on the ALDS roster due to right pectoral inflammation. The Mariners will wait to see how Woo is feeling today before having to make a decision Sunday on whether to add him to the roster.
Bellinger Opting Out Of Yankees Deal
As expected, outfielder Cody Bellinger is opting out of the final year of his contract with the New York Yankees. The left-handed-hitting slugger was due to make $25 million in the final year of a three-year, $80 million contract he signed with the Chicago Cubs before the 2024 season. The Cubs traded Bellinger to the Yankees in December for Cody Poteet. Bellinger will be one of the top bats available in free agency this offseason. The 2018 NL MVP with the Los Angeles Dodgers had a resurgent season, posting a .272/.334/.480 slash line with 29 homers and 98 RBIs.
Japanese Slugger Set To Be Posted
Power-hitting corner infielder Munetaka Murakami is set to join MLB next season after it was reported that the Yakult Swallows will post him this winter. A two-time Central League MVP who bats left-handed, Murakami has 246 homers in 892 career games in the Nippon Professional Baseball, hitting a career-high 56 in 2022, a record for a Japanese-born player. Primarily a third baseman, he has a slash line of .270/.394/.557 with three 100-RBI seasons. He turns 26 in February, who will be highly pursued as a true free agent since he is older than 25 and played professionally for at least six seasons. He became the youngest player to win the Triple Crown in 2022 as a 22-year-old, hitting .318 with those 56 homers and 134 RBIs.
Extra Bases
⚾ Jose Iglesias of the San Diego Padres was suspended one game, while he and teammate Xander Bogaerts were fined undisclosed amounts for their actions after the final game of the NL Wild Card Series.
⚾ Three-time NL MVP Albert Pujols met with Los Angeles Angels general manager Perry Minasian about the team’s managerial position. Pujols appears to be the leader for this job, with support from owner Arte Moreno.
⚾ Tigers second baseman Gleyber Torres said he had been playing with a hernia and will have surgery to repair it.
⚾ Stu Sternberg, who recently completed the sale of the Tampa Bay Rays for $1.7 billion, gave out bonuses to team employees. Some received as much as a year’s salary, while the lowest ranged from $25,000 to $50,000.
⚾ Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas said he plans to retire following the 2026 season.
Articles You Should Read
With Crew’s cards close to chest, The Miz could be in play for Game 5 — Adam McCalvy, MLB.com
This time, Phillies can’t run it back — Jayson Stark, The Athletic
Three Blue Jays questions for ALCS — Keegan Matheson, MLB.com
Catch the game like never before — Patrick Dubuque, Baseball Prospectus
Taking a look at six Arizona Fall League prospects on the rise — James Fegan, FanGraphs
Schumaker takes over as Rangers manager after year learning about organization — Stephen Hawkins
