The Seattle Mariners got the best of the Detroit Tigers 3-2 after 15 innings in the winner-take-all Game 5 on Friday, Oct. 10.
With the victory, the Mariners will move on to the American League Championship Series and play the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Mariners haven’t advanced to the ALCS since 2001. The Tigers will have to continue to search for their first ALCS berth since 2013.
Tarik Skubal of the Tigers and George Kirby of the Mariners produced a memorable pitcher’s duel before the game was set to be decided between the respective bullpens.
Leo Rivas hit a single to left field in the seventh inning to bring in Jorge Polanco, who served as the tying run. The game remained tied at 2 until Polanco walked it off with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 15th.
Highlights: Mariners beat Tigers
Final: Mariners 3, Tigers 2
The Tigers and Mariners continue to battle. Luis Castillo and the Mariners get the Tigers’ first three batters out for a scoreless inning. Pitcher Tommy Kahnle starts the bottom of the 15th for the Tigers.
J.P. Crawford singled to right field before Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch. Seattle has runners on first and second and Cal Raleigh at the plate.
Raleigh lined out to center field. Arozarena is safe at second on a throwing error. Crawford moves to third. Julio Rodríguez is intentionally walked and the bases are loaded with one out.
Jorge Polanco singled and Crawford scored to end the game.
Tigers, Mariners not done after 14 innings
Tigers pitcher Jake Flaherty caught Robles stealing to record the third out in the bottom of the 14th. Flaherty initially walked Robles after striking out Leo Rivas.
Bazardo is replaced, Mariners get out of inning
Eduard Bazardo faced three batters and recorded two outs in the top of the 14th inning before he was replaced. Luis Castillo came in to face Javier Báez, who popped out to first, ending the inning.
Mariners, Tigers set another postseason milestone
With the game in the 14th inning, it is now the longest winner-take-all matchup in postseason history.
Jack Flaherty, Tigers send game to 14th
Starting pitcher Jack Flaherty starts the bottom of the 13th inning for Detroit. He faces Mariners star Cal Raleigh.
Raleigh is walked by Flaherty. The Tigers have the winning run on base.
Flaherty also walks Julio Rodriguez. Raleigh moves to second base.
The Tigers’ defense steps up and produces a double play to record the final two outs. The game is headed to the 14th inning.
Tigers reach another postseason mark
Eduard Bazardo struck out all three batters in order in the top of the 13th inning.
The Tigers’ game against the Mariners is headed to the bottom of the 13th inning, tied at 2. This is the Tigers’ longest game by innings in the franchise’s postseason history.
Montero, Tigers escape 12th unscathed
Leo Rivas is walked by Tigers pitcher Keider Montero, putting the winning run on base for the Mariners.
Rivas to second on pickoff error by pitcher K. Montero.
Rivas moves to second on a pickoff error by Montero at first base. Montero appears rattled, hitting Victor Robles in the hand. The play is being reviewed. It was deteremind that Robles was hit by the pitch. Mariners have runners on first and second with no outs in bottom of the 12th.
Randy Arozarena grounded into a double play and the inning is over. The game is moving on to the 13th inning.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Tigers-Mariners marathon continues
Logan Gilbert returned to the mound for his third inning of relief.
Zach McKinstry reached base on an infield single and represented the go ahead run for the Tigers in the top of the 12th inning.
McKinstry moved to second base after Dingler singled to left field.
Mariners manager Dan Wilson calls for Eduard Bazardo out of the bullpen to replace Gilbert.
The Tigers had the bases loaded with two outs after the Mariners intentionally walked Kerry Carpenter.
Bazardo and Seattle managed to overcome the bases loaded jam, after Gleyber Torres flied out to right.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Keider Montero, Tigers send game to 12th
Pitcher Keider Montero did not allow a hit, keeping the game tied through 11 innings of play.
Mariners, Tigers continues
Pitcher Logan Gilbert struck out Colt Keith to send the game to the bottom of the 11th, leaving two of the Tigers’ runners on base.
Gilbert is pitching out of the bullpen for the first time since college. He started 25 games for the Mariners this season.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Mariners lead runners stranded
Victor Robles hit a double to right field off a pitch by Troy Melton, putting the potenital game-winning run on base for Seattle.
The Tigers decided to intentionally walk Cal Raleigh. Mariners had runners on first and second base with two outs before Julio Rodriguez grounded out.
The game will move on to the 11th inning.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Tigers unsuccessful in 10th
Gibert and Julio Rodriguez help send the game to the bottom of the 10th inning. Rodriguez caught fly outs from Dillon Dingler and Javier Báez to record two of the outs in the inning. Gilbert struck out Parker Meadows.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Tigers, Mariners headed to extra innings
Josh Naylor singled to right field on a pitch from Will Vest to get on base and represent the winning run for the Mariners with two outs.
Leo Rivas brought in the tying run earlier in the game but was unable to produce a similar result late in the ninth. Vest strikes him out and sends the game to the 10th inning.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Andrés Muñoz throws hitless inning
Pitcher Andrés Muñoz managed to hold his own for the Mariners at the top of the ninth. He did not allow a hit and managed to get Torkelson and McKinstry to strike out swinging.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Mariners-Tigers remained tied
Pitcher Will Vest managed to get the Tigers through the eighth inning, sending the game to the ninth inning still tied. He struck out both Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez to record the final two outs.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Mariners score tying run
Tigers pitcher Kyle Finnegan starts the seventh inning, replacing Tarik Skubal on the mound. The bullpen will be tasked with putting away the host Mariners to reach the ALCS.
Finnegan walked Jorge Polanco to put the tying run on base for the Mariners.
Naylor would single to right field and move Polanco to second base.
The Mariners and the Tigers made corresponding moves to shake things up as Dominic Canzone appeared set to hit for Mitch Garver and face Tigers pitcher Tyler Holton, but Mariners manager Dan Wilson decided to go with Leo Rivas to pinch-hit in place of Canzone.
Rivas managed to single to left field, bringing in Polanco to score the tying run. Naylor moved to second. Robles grounded into a fielder’s choice to the shortstop and Rivas was out at second to end the inning.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 2
Tarik Skubal gets Tigers through six
Tarik Skubal remains dominant for the Tigers, getting Detroit through the six innings. He allowed just two hits while striking out 13. Skubal set the record for the most strikeouts in a winner-take-all elimination game.
Skubal used a 100 MPH four-seam fastball to put away Cal Raleigh for the final out of the inning.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 1
George Kirby out, Tigers take lead
Mariners manager Dan Wilson meets George Kirby at the mound to take the ball. The pitcher’s night is done.
Kirby allowed three hits while striking out six in five innings of work. The home crowd showed their appreciation for the pitcher as he headed back to the dugout. He threw 66 pitches.
Gabe Speier takes over for Kirby with Kerry Carpenter at the plate and Javier Báez on second, after he doubled to center.
Carpenter hit a 411-foot home run to center field, giving the Tigers a 2-1 lead in the top of the 6th.
Score: Tigers 2, Mariners 1
Tarik Skubal throws seven straight strikeouts
Pitcher Tarik Skubal continues to show he’s in control on the mound for the Tigers as he retires the side for a second straight inning. He finished out the fourth inning, throwing back-to-back 100 MPH four-seam fastballs.
Skubal has 10 strikeouts tonight, with the last seven coming in a row. His seven consecutive strikeouts set a new MLB postseason record.
Score: Mariners 1, Tigers 0
Cal Raleigh prevents steal at second, ends innning
Mariners pitcher George Kirby has thrown four scoreless innings so far.
Kirby did hit Tigers designated hitter Colt Keith with a pitch on the top of the foot, putting him on base. Keith doesn’t appear to have an issue with his foot as he attempted to steal second base.
Kirby followed threw on his pitch, before catcher Cal Raleigh got the ball over to the second baseman Jorge Polanco fast enough to end the inning.
Score: Mariners 1, Tigers 0
Tarik Skubal strikes out Cal Raleigh to end third
Skubal made quick work of the Mariners in the bottom of the third, striking out J.P. Crawford, Randy Arozarena and Cal Raleigh in order.
Score: Mariners 1, Tigers 0
Mariners take early lead against Tigers
Josh Naylor hit a double in the second inning, sending the ball to left field off a pitch thrown by starter Tarik Skubal. Naylor would steal third before Mitch Garver followed up with a sac fly to bring him in. The Mariners take the early lead against the Tigers.
Score: Mariners 1, Tigers 0
Ken Griffey Jr. arrives at T-Mobile Park
Mariners legend Ken Griffey Jr. was driven out of the tunnel and onto the field at T-Mobile Park ahead of Game 5 on Friday.
Tarik Skubal allows one hit in first
Cal Raleigh produced the only hit for the Mariners against Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal in the bottom of the first inning.
Skubal struck out the final two batters he faced to get the Tigers out of the inning.
Score: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
George Kirby strikes out two early
Mariners pitcher George Kirby has a solid outing in the top of the first inning, allowing a hit and striking out two of the three batters he faced. The Tigers left Riley Green on base.
Score: Tigers 0, Mariners 0
What time is Tigers vs Mariners Game 5 today?
First pitch is scheduled for 8:08 p.m. ET at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Where to watch Mariners vs Tigers: TV channel, live stream
Friday’s Game 5 will air on Fox and can be streamed with Fubo.
Watch Tigers-Mariners ALDS on Fubo
Tigers vs Mariners predictions
USA TODAY Sports’ MLB writers are split on the Tigers-Mariners Game 5:
- Bob Nightengale: Mariners 5, Tigers 1
- Gabe Lacques: Mariners 4, Tigers 3
- Jesse Yomtov: Tigers 5, Mariners 2
Mariners vs Tigers odds
Seattle Mariners starting lineup vs. Tigers
Randy Arozarena, LF
Cal Raleigh, C
Julio Rodríguez, CF
Jorge Polanco, 2B
Eugenio Suárez, 3B
Josh Naylor, 1B
Mitch Garver, DH
Victor Robles, RF
J.P. Crawford, SS
George Kirby, P
Detroit Tigers starting lineup vs. Mariners
Kerry Carpenter, RF
Gleyber Torres, 2B
Riley Greene, LF
Spencer Torkelson, 1B
Colt Keith, DH
Zach McKinstry, 3B
Dillon Dingler, C
Parker Meadows, CF
Javier Báez, SS
Tarik Skubal, P
Mariners expect fan base to make a difference
Mariners manager Dan Wilson expects the team’s fanbase to play a key role in Game 5 against the Tigers at T-Mobile Park on Friday night.
‘T-Mobile is legendary for the feeling that it invokes in players and coaches and those who are out there,’ Wilson told reporters before the game. ‘This is an electric place and this is an electric fan base and they’re going to be out in full force tonight.