Mariners Defeat Detroit Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Thriller to Advance to First ALCS in 24 Years

During an intense extra-inning battle, Jorge Polanco delivered the decisive score with a base hit to the outfield, sealing a narrow victory for the Seattle Mariners over the visiting squad in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

Decisive Plays in the Extended Matchup

The Mariners pitcher, delivering his initial bullpen outing in the major leagues, pitched one and one-third innings to secure the win, propelling his team to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in over two decades.

The Mariners will now compete against the Toronto for the championship in a showdown between franchise brethren. The series opener is set for Sunday in the Blue Jays' home.

15th Inning Game-Winning Sequence

• JP Crawford initiated the bottom of the last inning with a line-drive single to right field.
• Randy Arozarena was struck by a throw, putting runners on the bases.
• After a teammate made an out, a fielding mistake by the outfielder let the runner to advance.
• Following an intentional walk, the batter singled on a full count to end the game.

Scoring Highlights and Pitching Efforts

Kerry Carpenter accounted for all of Detroit's offense with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

Seattle evened the score at 2-2 in the later inning on a substitute batter's RBI single.

Both teams threatened repeatedly in overtime, with the Mariners grounding into inning-ending double plays in both the later extra innings.

Opening Hurlers Duel

The Tigers' ace and the Mariners' starter delivered a low-scoring battle in the early innings.

The left-hander, a Cy Young Award favorite, allowed a single score on a couple of hits with zero bases on balls and 13 strikeouts over six innings. 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 scored a run for the Mariners.

Kirby opened with five scoreless innings before surrendering a early hit in the middle inning. After a pitching change, Carpenter homered on a pitch to give the visitors the advantage.

The starter went over five frames and was charged with a single score on three hits with zero free passes and several K's.

This victory signifies a major milestone for the Seattle franchise, who advance to battle for a place in the World Series after a extended postseason absence.