Seattle Mariners Defeat Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Thriller to Move On to First ALCS in Over Two Decades

Through a gripping extra-inning contest, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a base hit to right field, sealing a 3-2 win for the home team over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

Decisive Plays in the Marathon Matchup

Luis Castillo, making his initial bullpen outing in the big leagues, threw over an inning to earn the win, propelling his team to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion since 2001.

Seattle will now compete against the Blue Jays for the championship in a showdown between franchise counterparts. The series opener is set for Sunday in Toronto.

15th Inning Breakthrough

  • The leadoff hitter started the bottom of the last inning with a sharp hit to the outfield.
  • Randy Arozarena was struck by a throw, placing runners on first and second.
  • After Cal Raleigh made an out, a fielding mistake by the outfielder let the runner to take third.
  • Following an strategic base on balls, the batter connected on a 3-2 pitch to end the game.

Key Runs and Pitching Performances

A Tigers hitter provided all of Detroit's offense with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

The Mariners tied it at two runs apiece in the later inning on a substitute batter's RBI single.

Each squad posed a danger multiple times in extra innings, with the Mariners grounding into inning-ending double plays in both the 12th and 13th.

Opening Hurlers Duel

The Tigers' ace and George Kirby delivered a low-scoring battle in the early innings.

The left-hander, a pitching honor favorite, allowed a single score on a couple of hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts over six innings. He set a postseason record with seven consecutive strikeouts.

His sole allowed score occurred in the early going, when a double, stolen base, and deep out brought home a point for the Mariners.

Kirby began 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 hand the visitors the advantage.

Kirby lasted over five frames and was charged with a single score on a few hits with no walks and several K's.

The win marks a significant milestone for the Seattle franchise, who move forward to compete for a place in the championship after a long postseason absence.

Amanda Bauer
Amanda Bauer

A structural engineer with over 15 years of experience in designing sustainable building solutions and sharing industry insights.