Can you imagine waiting 24 years for something? That’s exactly what Mariners fans had to endure until Friday night at T-Mobile Park, when Jorge Polanco delivered the most important swing in franchise history. After 15 grueling innings, the Seattle Mariners outlasted the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in what became the longest winner-take-all playoff game ever played, punching their ticket to the American League Championship Series for the first time since 2001.
The night started with so much promise, yet nobody could have predicted the emotional roller coaster that awaited the 47,025 fans packed into T-Mobile Park. With the roof closed due to weather, the atmosphere was electric from the first pitch, and it only intensified as the innings stretched on. This wasn’t just any game — this was Game 5 of the ALDS, winner-take-all, with everything on the line.
What made this marathon so captivating was the absolute dominance displayed by both starting pitchers. For Detroit, reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal was nothing short of spectacular. The left-hander struck out seven consecutive Mariners batters at one point, setting a postseason record, and finished with 13 strikeouts over six innings while allowing just one run. It was the kind of performance that legends are made of — unfortunately for Tigers fans, it wasn’t enough.
For Seattle, George Kirby matched Skubal’s brilliance pitch for pitch. The 27-year-old right-hander, who had struggled against the Tigers in previous matchups, delivered when it mattered most. Kirby allowed just three hits over five-plus innings, walking none and striking out six. The T-Mobile Park crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the game, knowing they had witnessed something special.
The scoring started early when the Mariners manufactured a run in the second inning. Josh Naylor doubled into the left-field corner, stole third base (remarkably, the first attempted steal of third against Skubal all season), and scored on Mitch Garver’s sacrifice fly. For a moment, it felt like Seattle might cruise to victory with their ace on the mound.
But Kerry Carpenter had other plans. The Tigers outfielder, who had tormented Mariners pitching throughout the series, crushed a two-run homer off reliever Gabe Speier in the sixth inning to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. The crowd that had been so boisterous suddenly fell silent, wondering if their dreams were about to be crushed once again.
That’s when Leo Rivas stepped up to become an unlikely hero. The 28-year-old utility player, celebrating his birthday no less, had spent most of the season in Triple-A Tacoma. With two outs in the seventh inning and the Mariners trailing by one, Rivas delivered a clutch RBI single to left field that tied the game and sent T-Mobile Park into absolute pandemonium. It was his first playoff at-bat, and he couldn’t have picked a better moment to come through.
What followed was eight innings of the most intense baseball you could imagine. Both bullpens were tested to their limits, with 15 pitchers used between the two teams over the course of four hours and 58 minutes. The Mariners had multiple chances to walk it off — they stranded runners in the 10th, 12th, and 13th innings, each time leaving their fans on the edge of their seats.
For a franchise and fanbase that had experienced so much playoff heartbreak over the years, those missed opportunities had to bring back painful memories. The 2022 ALDS loss to Houston after an 18-inning marathon was still fresh in many minds. But this team felt different, and the crowd never stopped believing.
Finally, in the bottom of the 15th inning, the stars aligned. J.P. Crawford led off with a single to center field, and Randy Arozarena was hit by a pitch. After Cal Raleigh flew out to center, Crawford tagged up and advanced to third. The Tigers intentionally walked Julio Rodríguez, loading the bases and setting the stage for Polanco.
The veteran second baseman had struggled all night, going 0-for-5 to that point. But sometimes baseball has a way of rewarding persistence. On the 472nd pitch of this epic battle, Polanco connected on an 87.1 mph changeup from Tommy Kahnle, lining it to right field at 110.2 mph. Crawford scored easily, and T-Mobile Park erupted in the kind of celebration that had been 24 years in the making.
The numbers surrounding this game are staggering. At 15 innings, it was the longest winner-take-all playoff game in MLB history. The previous record for such games was 13 innings, so Seattle and Detroit shattered that mark. Only three other playoff games have ever reached 15 innings, and none of them were elimination games.
The crowd’s impact was measurable — literally. Seismometers were installed at T-Mobile Park to measure crowd noise, and the fans didn’t disappoint. The building was shaking with every big moment, reminiscent of the famous Beast Quake at nearby Lumen Field in 2011.
For a franchise that had never won a World Series — in fact, had never even reached a World Series — this moment represented so much more than just advancing to the next round. The Mariners hadn’t been to an ALCS since that magical 2001 season when they won a record 116 games. An entire generation of fans had grown up without experiencing this level of success.
The celebration outside T-Mobile Park was something to behold. Fans hugged strangers, chanted Let’s Go Mariners! and celebrated a moment they had waited their entire lives to experience. For many, it was reminiscent of the electric atmosphere during the Seahawks’ championship runs, but this felt even more special because of how long the drought had lasted.
Here’s the thing, folks: The Mariners will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS, starting Sunday night at Rogers Centre. It won’t be easy — the Blue Jays eliminated the Yankees in four games and will be well-rested while Seattle’s pitching staff is depleted after the marathon. But after what this team accomplished Friday night, who’s to say they can’t keep the magic going?
With that… While the path to the World Series is still long, but for the first time in 24 years, Seattle fans can dream big. They’ve seen their team overcome incredible odds, outlast a superior opponent, and deliver in the clutch when it mattered most. If that’s not the foundation for a championship run, what is?
If you cannot play with them, then root for them!