A 15th-inning bases-loaded single by Jorge Polanco<\/a><\/strong> sent the Seattle Mariners<\/a> to the ALCS at the expense of the valiant Detroit Tigers<\/a>, 3\u20132. It is the fourth-ever ALCS berth for the Mariners and first since 2001, when the 116-win Mariners bowed to the New York Yankees<\/a> in six games. The win and advancement bring the Mariners one step closer to their elusive first pennant, the last remaining franchise to lack one.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t even know where to begin,\u201d Mariners manager Dan Wilson<\/a><\/strong> said in the postgame press conference, \u201cto try to recap all the heroic efforts that went into today, from one guy to the next. And 15 innings? I’ve got to say, I don’t know how the fans kept their energy going. It was unbelievably loud, even in the 15th inning. This is a special place. T-Mobile Park is a special place, and they showed us that tonight. An incredible ballgame from top to bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mariners struck first, doing so in the bottom of the second against Tigers ace and Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal<\/a><\/strong>. A one-out opposite-field double by Josh Naylor<\/a><\/strong> got their first runner in scoring position. He stole third with Mitch Garver<\/a><\/strong> batting and scored two pitches later, when Garver belted a deep sacrifice fly to center. The Tigers snatched the lead away in the sixth after a leadoff double by Javier Baez<\/a><\/strong> off starting pitcher George Kirby<\/a><\/strong>. Following a pitching change, a two-run home run by Mariners nemesis and Kirby Kryptonite Kerry Carpenter<\/a><\/strong> completed the two-spot.<\/p>\n But the Mariners counter-punched after Skubal left the game. Against Trade Deadline acquisition Kyle Finnegan<\/a><\/strong>, they put runners on first and second with two outs in the seventh. A substitution back-and-forth ensued, and ultimately, Tigers lefty Tyler Holton<\/a><\/strong> faced pinch-hitter Leo Rivas<\/a><\/strong>. Rivas tied the game with a single to left on his 28th birthday<\/em>.<\/p>\n That was the last run scored until the 15th, but not for lack of opportunities. The Mariners left runners in scoring position in the seventh, 10th, 12th, and 13th. And the Tigers did so in the eighth, 11th, 12th, and 14th, leaving them loaded in the 12th. \u201cGuys just kept battling,\u201d Tigers manager A.J. Hinch<\/a><\/strong> said in the postgame press conference. \u201cThere were opportunities on both sides after the ninth inning. It felt like it was a pretty quiet game from an opportunity standpoint until we got into extras, and then there were runners everywhere. And there were double plays, and they’re caught stealing. There’s bunts, and there’s guys picking up each other on errors or misplays.\u201d<\/p>\n Tarik Skubal was outstanding. He lasted six innings, giving it everything he had, according to his manager. Skubal allowed one run on two hits and fanned 13 while walking none.<\/p>\n Tigers relievers combined to allow two runs on six hits, walking seven and striking out seven across 8 1\/3 innings. They also stranded Mariner runners in scoring position, as mentioned above, in the seventh, 10th, 12th, and 13th. (They technically did in the 15th, also, but the game was over, so it is irrelevant.)<\/p>\n Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter reached base each of the first six times he batted. He had three singles, a two-run homer, and two walks, one of which was intentional. He finally made an out at the plate when Luis Castillo<\/a><\/strong> struck him out to lead off the top of the 15th.<\/p>\n They had nothing to be ashamed of in this game, but the ultimate outcome was one of the few things that went wrong for the Tigers.<\/p>\n Of the 10 runners the Tigers left on base, five were in scoring position. They batted 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n Josh Naylor cranked a double and \u2014 using the elements around him to catch the Tigers off-guard \u2014 stole third. He scored two pitches later on a sacrifice fly. That run doesn\u2019t happen without the stolen base. Naylor, since being traded mid-season to the Mariners, went 20-for-20 in stolen base attempts (incl. postseason) despite having the second-slowest sprint speed in the AL. Blue Jays catcher and well-known tortoise Alejandro Kirk<\/a><\/strong> has the slowest.<\/p>\n Leo Rivas spent nine years in the minors and debuted last season. He yo-yoed between the majors and minors in 2024 and 2025, playing a combined 91 regular-season big league games. His first career postseason at-bat came as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of this game, a winner-take-all playoff game. And he got the game-tying RBI, on his 28th birthday, no less.<\/p>\n \u201cBest day ever,\u201d he said in the postgame press conference. \u201cSince I woke up today, I said to myself, \u2018it\u2019s going to be a good day. It\u2019s going to be a great day to celebrate my birthday.\u201d Rivas spent much of his career giving much to his teammates, many who made the big leagues before he did, and many who call him \u201cPapa.\u201d When asked how rewarding it was to start to get that back, the humble Rivas simply said, \u201cAll glory to God. He knows what I’ve been through. I’m just happy with Him. He’s been good for me, for my family too, that He keeps me where I am right now. I’m just grateful,\u201d<\/p>\n It took Skubal 54 total pitches \u2014 18 in each \u2014 to get through the first three innings. In the fourth, it took him another 17. Doing so chased him from the game after only six innings, where the Mariners liked their chances much more against the Tigers relief corps.<\/p>\n Kirby allowed one run, which was inherited by reliever Gabe Speier<\/a><\/strong>, on three hits, striking out six across five innings. Six relievers combined to hold the Tigers at one run on five hits across 10 innings. They combined to walk four and strike out 11.<\/p>\n Wilson brought Speier in to face Carpenter specifically because Carpenter does not do as well against lefties. During the regular season, his batting average was 40 points lower and his slugging percentage was 112 points lower against southpaws. So when Carpenter ripped the homer off Speier, it upended the strategy. Additionally, Kirby was out of the game after only 66 pitches. But that did not deter Wilson and the Mariner coaches. Wilson said postgame, \u201cIt’s a tough decision, but when you have a bullpen like we do and it was ready, we were going to be aggressive.\u201d<\/p>\n The Mariners left 12 runners on base, with six in scoring position. Excluding the final inning, where runners left on base were irrelevant since they had notched a walk-off victory, they left nine on base with four in scoring position. They batted 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n This is the Mariners’ fourth ALCS berth, and manager Dan Wilson has been involved with all of them. A retired catcher, he played for the Mariners teams that lost the 1995, 2000, and 2001 ALCS. The ’95 team succumbed to the then-Cleveland Indians<\/a> in six games, the 2000 team fell to the New York Yankees<\/a> in six, and the ’01 team tripped over the Yankees in five.<\/p>\n (Hat tip for all of the rest goes to the incomparable Sarah Langs via x.com, formerly Twitter)<\/p>\n This was the second ALDS winner-take-all game to go to extra innings. The Mariners have been involved in both, with the other being one of the most famous games in both Mariners and baseball history. It was Game Five of the 1995 ALDS against the Yankees. All one needs to say to a Mariners diehard is \u201cThe Double.\u201d For the rest of us, it was the game where Hall of Famer Edgar Martinez<\/a><\/strong>\u2019s two-run double scored both Joey Cora<\/a><\/strong> from third and Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr<\/strong><\/a> from first. Cora, oddly enough, is currently the Tigers\u2019 third-base coach.<\/p>\n This was the longest winner-take-all game inning-wise in playoff history, surpassing the 2018 National League Wild Card Game. In that marathon, the Colorado Rockies<\/a> defeated the Chicago Cubs<\/a>, 2\u20131, in 13 innings.<\/p>\n Tarik Skubal set the record for most strikeouts ever in a winner-take-all postseason game, with 13.<\/p>\n Skubal is the first pitcher to ever record multiple 13+ strikeout games in a single postseason. The only others to even have two in a postseason career may sound familiar: Gerrit Cole<\/a><\/strong> and some guy named Bob Gibson<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n \u201cThe back half of that game is like a game in itself. We dodged a few bullets, and so did they. And it felt like that game \u2014 you know, I didn’t want it to end, certainly the way that it did. But I wanted to keep giving ourselves a puncher’s chance, and they outlasted us.\u201d \u2014 Tigers manager A.J. Hinch<\/em><\/p>\n Luis Castillo earned the win for the Mariners as Tommy Kahnle<\/a><\/strong> took the loss for the Tigers, both in relief. There was no save.<\/p>\n The Mariners head to Toronto for the first two games of the ALCS, facing the Toronto Blue Jays<\/a>, who finished with the best record in the American League. Game One will be Monday, with first pitch scheduled at 8:03 pm Eastern\/5:03 pm Pacific. Starting pitchers had yet to be announced at press time.<\/p>\nMariners \u2013 Tigers Game Summary<\/h3>\n
What Went Right for the Tigers<\/h3>\n
Starting Pitching<\/h4>\n
Relief Pitching<\/h4>\n
Can Carpenter Even Make an Out?<\/h4>\n
What Went Wrong for the Tigers<\/h3>\n
Ultimately Fell Short<\/h4>\n
Runners Left in Scoring Position<\/h4>\n
What Went Right for the Mariners<\/h3>\n
Manufactured the First Run<\/h4>\n
Rivas the Birthday Hero<\/h4>\n
Forced Lots of Pitches from Skubal<\/h4>\n
Pitching, Both Starting and Relief<\/h4>\n
What Went Wrong for the Mariners<\/h3>\n
Pitching Change Backfired<\/h4>\n
Runners Left in Scoring Position<\/h4>\n
Quick Hits<\/h3>\n
Quotes<\/h3>\n
Looking Ahead<\/h3>\n
Main Photo:<\/h4>\n