Seattle Mariners Defeat Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Showdown to Move On to First ALCS in 24 Years
In a dramatic extra-inning contest, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive score with a base hit to right field, clinching a 3-2 victory for the home team over the visiting squad in the decisive game of the ALDS.
Decisive Plays in the Marathon Matchup
The Mariners pitcher, delivering his initial bullpen outing in the major leagues, threw over an inning to secure the win, propelling his team to the AL Championship Series for the first time since 2001.
Seattle will now face the Toronto for the championship in a contest between 1977 expansion brethren. The series opener is scheduled for Sunday in Toronto.
Final Inning Game-Winning Sequence
- The leadoff hitter started the final half of the last inning with a sharp hit to right field.
- Randy Arozarena was struck by a throw, putting runners on first and second.
- After a teammate made an out, a throwing error by the center fielder allowed Crawford to advance.
- Following an intentional walk, Polanco connected on a 3-2 pitch to conclude the contest.
Scoring Highlights and Defensive Efforts
Kerry Carpenter accounted for all of Detroit's scoring with a two-run homer in the middle frames.
The Mariners evened the score at two runs apiece in the seventh on a substitute batter's RBI single.
Each squad threatened multiple times in overtime, with the Mariners grounding into twin killings in both the 12th and 13th.
Starting Pitchers Battle
The Tigers' ace and George Kirby engaged in a pitchers' duel in the opening frames.
Skubal, a Cy Young Award contender, allowed a single score on two hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts over multiple frames. He established a playoff mark with back-to-back K's.
The only run occurred in the early going, when a double, theft, and deep out scored a point for the Mariners.
Kirby began with shutout frames before allowing a early hit in the middle inning. After a bullpen move, Carpenter went deep on a pitch to give Detroit the advantage.
Kirby went over five frames and was responsible for one run on three hits with zero free passes and six strikeouts.
The win marks a significant achievement for the Mariners, who advance to battle for a spot in the World Series after a extended playoff drought.
