A thriller in 15: Wild stats from the Tigers-Mariners epic, detroit tigers, Tigers ran out of hits, arms and chances in Game 5 loss to Mariners. It’ll burn all winter
SEATTLE — For fans hungry for tension, the Mariners gave their fans a hefty dose on Friday night. But in the best possible way.
Jorge Polanco hit a walk-off single through the right-side hole with one out and the bases loaded in the bottom of the 15th inning, giving Seattle a 3-2 victory over the Tigers in the decisive Game 5 of the American League Division Series.
then Randy Arozarena got a hit-by-pitch off reliever Tommy Kahnle.
Polanco was next in line after J.P. Crawford’s single, then Randy Arozarena got a hit-by-pitch off reliever Tommy Kahnle. Both runners advanced on Cal Raley’s flyout, then Julio Rodriguez was intentionally walked to create a force play.
Further increasing the tension, Polanco worked into a full count—forcing Kahnle’s hand—then hit a changeup down the zone into right field, sending the crowd into a frenzy.
“I’m so happy for the city,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t think there’s any fan base that craves a win more than Mariners fans. I’m just so happy we were able to win this series and give them even better baseball.”
“We’ve been talking about this battle all year,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “Playing 15 innings tonight—or so to speak—and getting the win, it feels really good.”
The Double” from the 1995 ALDS, arguably the most memorable
It had many memorable elements of “The Double” from the 1995 ALDS, arguably the most memorable win in franchise history. But it also had the anger of the 18-inning marathon loss to Houston in the 2022 ALDS, which had many of the same faces in the home dugout on Friday.
Only this time, there was no anguish at the end.
“I thought we’d never have to do this again,” Cal Raleigh said, “and that was almost as close.”
“That 18-inning game and then—man, countless one-run games at the end,” Seattle starter George Kirby said on Friday. “Man, we’ve been in all of that. So, if anything, we’re probably the most prepared team for it.”
Friday’s game featured the longest career performances of the Mariners’ three starting pitchers (Kirby, Logan Gilbert, and Luis Castillo), two from the Tigers (Tarik Skubal and Jack Flaherty), and two of Seattle’s leverage arms (Matt Brash and Eduard Bazardo).
the Major Leagues. And with Gilbert in particular
For Gilbert and Castillo, it was unprecedented, as neither had ever pitched in relief in the Major Leagues. And with Gilbert in particular, it had some flashes of Randy Johnson’s performance in the fifth game of the 1995 ALDS—virtually the most memorable win in franchise history. But that memorable night 30 years ago has now come together.
“Every year, it feels like there’s a big disappointment, or we didn’t progress as far as we thought we would,” Gilbert said. “We still have a lot of work to do, but I think we’re starting to show our true identity.”
To advance in these playoffs, the Mariners had to completely vent their emotions. No one displayed this emotion more than Bazardo, who overcame the most difficult circumstances by escaping a bases-loaded jam after relieving Gilbert in the 12th. He then pitched a scoreless inning in the 13th and then returned in the 14th, but gave up a leadoff double.
That’s when Wilson turned to Castillo, who kept the game within reach by recording four outs on 15 pitches without a hit.
Overall, Seattle’s pitchers held Detroit to 8 for 51 (.157), including just two extra-base hits, four walks, and 17 strikeouts.
“I don’t know how to summarize all the heroic efforts today, from one player to the next,” Wilson said.
The final moments of Friday’s innings were as if the Mariners were dominated by the Tigers’ world-class star, Skubal, who was completely in his element. Skubal set a postseason record in a winner-take-all game by striking out 13 and allowing just one run, which Josh Naylor almost single-handedly scored in the second inning.
Naylor had one of the Mariners’ only two hits against the powerful lefty when he hit a 100.2 mph fastball off the plate into the left-field corner, after which he boldly stole third base. And that put him in position to put Seattle on the scoreboard via a deep sacrifice fly by Mitch Garver.
Polanco said, “Everybody stuck together. Everyone supports each other. When we come to the ballpark, we have the same mentality — and that’s to go out there and give it our all.”
Naylor’s inning was also the Mariners’ last hit against Skubal, who retired each of his last 14 hits and finished the night without a walk. As could be predicted, it was only after he was taken out of the game that the Mariners finally did their damage, and the most unlikely hero emerged in the most unexpected way.
Leo Rivas, who played in the minor leagues for nine years before making his debut in 2024, came off the bench with two outs in the seventh inning and hit a game-tying RBI single to left field.
And he was a pinch-hitter for a pinch-hitter, because when Wilson fielded left-handed slugger Dominic Canzone, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch turned to lefty Tyler Holton, who
detroit tigers
seattle mariners
tigers vs mariners
mariners
tigers
detroit tigers vs seattle mariners
tigers score
seattle vs detroit
tigers game
mlb
seattle mariners vs detroit tigers
mariners game
seattle
longest mlb game
seattle mariners tickets
mariners game today
detroit tigers game today
naylor mariners
longest mlb playoff game
tigers game today
tigers mariners
randy arozarena
jorge polanco
baseball playoffs
jp crawford
mlb streams
detroit tigers vs seattle mariners match player stats
detroit vs seattle game 5
ken griffey jr
mariners tigers
riley greene
mariner
longest game in mlb history
seattle mariners schedule
seattle vs detroit game 5
mlb games
arozarena
longest mlb postseason game
seattle detroit
tigers vs mariners game 5
longest postseason game mlb
mlb stream
baseball game
seattle mariners score
detroit seattle series
mlb.
seattle detroit game 5
seattle vs detroit score
detroit vs seattle baseball
detroit score
seattle mariners players