Jorge Polanco's bases-loaded single in the 15th inning sealed a 3-2 victory for the Seattle Mariners against the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the American League Division Series on Friday, propelling the Mariners to their first AL Championship Series since 2001.
Luis Castillo earned the win with 1⅓ innings of relief, his first career appearance out of the bullpen. The Mariners will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, starting Sunday in Toronto.
The game was a pitchers' duel early, with Tigers starter Tarik Skubal striking out 13 over six innings, including a postseason-record seven consecutive strikeouts. He allowed one run on two hits. Mariners starter George Kirby tossed five scoreless innings before Kerry Carpenter's two-run homer in the sixth gave Detroit a 2-0 lead.
Seattle tied it in the seventh on a pinch-hit RBI single by Leo Rivas, who was celebrating his 28th birthday. Both teams had scoring chances in extra innings, but the Mariners grounded into double plays in the 12th and 13th.
In the 15th, JP Crawford singled, Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch, and after a flyout, a throwing error by center fielder Parker Meadows allowed Crawford to reach third. An intentional walk to Julio Rodriguez loaded the bases for Polanco, who delivered the game-winning hit on a 3-2 pitch.
