Seattle Mariners Edge Detroit Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Showdown to Move On to First ALCS in Over Two Decades
Through a gripping 15-inning battle, the Mariners' infielder drove in the decisive score with a single to right field, clinching a narrow win for the home team over the visiting squad in the decisive game of the American League Division Series.
Key Moments in the Marathon Matchup
Luis Castillo, making his initial bullpen outing in the major leagues, pitched over an inning to earn the victory, sending his team to the ALCS for the initial occasion since 2001.
The Mariners will now face the Blue Jays for the championship in a contest between 1977 expansion counterparts. Game 1 is set for Sunday in Toronto.
15th Inning Breakthrough
- JP Crawford initiated the bottom of the 15th with a line-drive single to right field.
- Another batter 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 advance.
- Following an intentional walk, the batter singled on a 3-2 pitch to conclude the contest.
Scoring Highlights and Defensive Performances
Kerry Carpenter provided all of the visitors' scoring with a home run in the middle frames.
Seattle evened the score at 2-2 in the seventh on a pinch hitter'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 later extra innings.
Starting Pitchers Battle
Tarik Skubal and the Mariners' starter delivered a low-scoring battle in the early innings.
The left-hander, a Cy Young Award contender, gave up a single score on a couple of hits with no walks and 13 strikeouts over multiple frames. He established a playoff mark with seven consecutive strikeouts.
The only run occurred in the second inning, when a double, stolen base, and sacrifice fly brought home a run for the Mariners.
The Mariners' pitcher began with shutout frames before allowing a early hit in the sixth. After a pitching change, the Tigers batter went deep on a pitch to hand Detroit the lead.
Kirby went over five frames and was charged with one run on a few hits with no walks and six strikeouts.
This victory signifies a major achievement for the Seattle franchise, who advance to compete for a spot in the championship after a long postseason absence.