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SEATTLE — Jorge Polanco hit a game-ending single in the 15th inning, and the Seattle Mariners advanced to the AL Championship Series by outlasting the Detroit Tigers for a 3-2 victory Friday night in the longest winner-take-all postseason game in baseball history.
With one out and the bases loaded, Polanco drove in J.P. Crawford with a liner to right on a full-count changeup from Tommy Kahnle. Crawford held his arms in the air as he touched home plate while the Mariners poured out of the dugout to celebrate in front of a frenzied crowd of 47,025.
Crawford hit a leadoff single, Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch and Julio Rodríguez was intentionally walked before Polanco’s big swing on the 472nd pitch of an epic Game 5 that clocked in at 4 hours, 58 minutes.
It was the third one-run game — all with a 3-2 score — in a tightly contested AL Division Series.
“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.”
The Mariners left 12 runners on base and still managed to advance to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Next up is a matchup with the AL East champion Blue Jays, beginning on Sunday night at Toronto.
“Just an incredible ballgame from top to bottom,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
Luis Castillo pitched 1¹/₃ innings for the win in his first major league relief appearance. Logan Gilbert, another member of Seattle’s rotation, worked two scoreless innings in his first relief outing since his college days at Stetson University in 2017.
“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.”
Detroit wasted a stellar performance by Tarik Skubal, who struck out 13 while pitching six innings of one-run ball. The Tigers went 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
“We had an incredible game today that — unfortunately, somebody had to lose, and that somebody was us, and it hurts,” manager A.J. Hinch said.
Kerry Carpenter put Detroit in front when he hit a two-run homer off Gabe Speier in the sixth inning. Carpenter had four hits and walked twice, becoming the first player to reach five times and hit a home run in a winner-take-all postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1926, according to STATS.
The Mariners tied it at 2 on Leo Rivas’ pinch-hit single off Tyler Holton in the seventh. Rivas celebrated his 28th birthday with his first postseason hit.
“He was up to the task tonight,” Wilson said. “It was a huge hit.”
The Mariners had a runner on second with no outs in the 10th, 12th and 13th inning — and came up empty each time. Arozarena and Eugenio Suárez both grounded into a double play in extra innings.
The Tigers threatened in the 12th, putting runners on second and third with one out. Zach McKinstry was cut down at home when he attempted to score on Javier Báez’s grounder to third. After Carpenter was walked intentionally, Gleyber Torres flied out to right.
Dillon Dingler hit a one-out double for Detroit in the 14th, but he was stranded there when Parker Meadows struck out looking against Eduard Bazardo and Castillo retired Báez on a popup to first.
“Guys just kept battling. There were opportunities on both sides after the ninth inning,” Hinch said.
