Mariners Defeat Tigers in Epic 15-Inning ALDS Game 5 Thriller
The Seattle Mariners advanced to the American League Championship Series after a dramatic 15-inning victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the AL Division Series. In a marathon contest that lasted nearly five hours, the Mariners walked off with a 3-2 win at T-Mobile Park before 47,025 fans. The game featured outstanding pitching performances from both teams, with Seattle's Luis Castillo earning the win and Detroit's Tommy Kahnle taking the loss in the decisive 15th inning.
The Seattle Mariners secured their spot in the American League Championship Series with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the AL Division Series, culminating in a dramatic 15-inning walk-off win at T-Mobile Park. This marathon contest, lasting 4 hours and 58 minutes, showcased postseason baseball at its finest, with both teams displaying remarkable resilience and determination throughout the extended battle.
Game Breakdown and Key Moments
The game remained scoreless until the second inning when Seattle's Mitch Garver hit a sacrifice fly to center field, allowing Josh Naylor to score and give the Mariners an early 1-0 lead. Detroit responded in the sixth inning when Kerry Carpenter launched a two-run homer to center field, driving in Javier Báez and putting the Tigers ahead 2-1. The Mariners quickly answered in the seventh inning with Rivas singling to left field, scoring Jorge Polanco and tying the game at 2-2.
Extra Innings Drama
Both teams battled through eight scoreless extra innings, with pitching staffs from both sides delivering exceptional performances under pressure. The deadlock finally broke in the bottom of the 15th inning when Jorge Polanco singled to right field, scoring J.P. Crawford and securing the series victory for Seattle. This marked one of the longest postseason games in recent MLB history, testing the depth and endurance of both teams' rosters.
Pitching Performances
Detroit's Tarik Skubal delivered a strong starting performance, pitching 6 innings while allowing just 2 hits and 1 earned run with 10 strikeouts. The Tigers bullpen, including K. Finnegan, T. Holton, W. Vest, T. Melton, K. Montero, J. Flaherty, and T. Kahnle, combined for 8.2 innings of relief before ultimately surrendering the winning run. For Seattle, Luis Castillo earned the victory with 1.1 innings of scoreless relief, while George Kirby started the game for the Mariners.
Series Context and Implications
This decisive Game 5 victory gave Seattle the series win 3-2, advancing them to face the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Championship Series. The Mariners finished the regular season with a 90-72 record, including an impressive 51-30 home record at T-Mobile Park. Detroit concluded their season with an 87-75 record, falling just short of advancing despite a valiant effort in the extended Game 5 contest.
The game attracted 47,025 fans to T-Mobile Park and was broadcast nationally on FOX, with the umpiring crew led by home plate umpire Alan Porter. The Mariners now move forward in their quest for a World Series appearance, while the Tigers begin their offseason preparations after a hard-fought division series that demonstrated the intensity and unpredictability of postseason baseball.
