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If you stayed up for the decisive Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers, it was worth every second.
In a game that lasted roughly five hours and ended after 1 a.m. ET, the Mariners are headed to their first American League Championship Series in 24 years after a 3-2 win in a 15-inning marathon.
Both teams were kept scoreless from the top of the eighth through the top of the 15th, but the Mariners finally pulled through with Jorge Polanco’s bases-loaded single to send them to the ALCS and end the longest winner-take-all game in history.
Detroit wasted a stellar performance by Tarik Skubal, who struck out 13 while pitching six innings of one-run ball. The soon-to-be two-time reigning AL Cy Young Award winner was taken out of the game with a 2-1 lead, and the Tigers’ bullpen promptly allowed the tying run in the seventh.
It did not help matters that the Tigers went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base, with their only two runs coming on a two-run home run by Kerry Carpenter in the sixth. Seattle was hardly better, leaving a dozen on, but they were the ones who came through.
The phrase “everyone is available in October” was well put to use. After both starters, George Kirby and Skubal, left the game, three other starting pitchers were used. The Tigers had Jack Flaherty go for two innings on two days’ rest, while both Logan Gilbert (also two days) and Luis Castillo, the winning pitcher, got some action.
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“I know we played a long game, but this team never gave up,” Polanco said. “I know there is a lot of emotion, but we are always trying to keep it simple. I’m just trying to go out there and play and trying to get the win.”
“Just an incredible ballgame from top to bottom,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
“It was such a tough night,” Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh said. “Everyone put their other stuff side and did everything for the team, including Logan and Luis.” It was Gilbert’s first relief outing since 2017, when he was at Stetson University.
Detroit’s season officially ended in heartbreak with a touch of what could have been, as this series probably should have been taking place in Michigan. The Tigers held a double-digit lead in the AL Central in early September but squandered it. They salvaged that by taking down the Cleveland Guardians, who hosted the Wild Card Series after overtaking Detroit in the standings, but this is certainly now how they envisioned going home.
The Mariners will now face the Toronto Blue Jays for the pennant, and an entire generation of fans will see one of these teams in the World Series for the first time. The Blue Jays have not been in the Fall Classic since 1993, while the Mariners have never made it past the ALCS.
Game 1 is Sunday in Toronto at 8:03 p.m. ET.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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