đ Share this article Mariners Outlast Tigers in Historic 15-Inning Showdown to Move On to AL Championship Series in 24 Years During an intense extra-inning battle, the Mariners' infielder drove in the decisive score with a base hit to right field, sealing a narrow victory for the home team over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the American League Division Series. Key Moments in the Marathon Matchup Luis Castillo, delivering his initial bullpen outing in the big leagues, pitched one and one-third innings to earn the victory, propelling his team to the AL Championship Series for the first time in over two decades. Seattle will now face the Blue Jays for the championship in a contest between 1977 expansion counterparts. The series opener is set for Sunday in Toronto. 15th Inning Game-Winning Sequence JP Crawford initiated the bottom of the last inning with a line-drive single to the outfield. Randy Arozarena was struck by a throw, placing runners on first and second. After a teammate flied out, a throwing error by the outfielder allowed Crawford to take third. Following an strategic base on balls, Polanco singled on a 3-2 pitch to end the game. Key Runs and Pitching Efforts A Tigers hitter provided all of Detroit's offense with a home run in the sixth inning. Seattle tied it at 2-2 in the seventh on a pinch hitter's run-scoring hit. Each squad posed a danger multiple times in extra innings, with the home team hitting into inning-ending double plays in both the 12th and 13th. Opening Hurlers Duel The Tigers' ace and the Mariners' starter delivered a low-scoring battle in the opening frames. The left-hander, a Cy Young Award favorite, gave up one run on a couple of hits with no walks and double-digit K's over multiple frames. He set a playoff mark with back-to-back K's. The only run came in the early going, when a double, theft, and deep out scored a point for the Mariners. The Mariners' pitcher opened with five scoreless innings before allowing a lead-off double in the middle inning. After a pitching change, the Tigers batter homered on a pitch to hand Detroit the lead. Kirby lasted over five frames and was responsible for a single score on three hits with no walks and several K's. This victory marks a significant milestone for the Seattle franchise, who move forward to battle for a spot in the World Series after a long postseason absence.