How the Mariners and Tigers were led by their coaches through a historically long game.
I watched this game with my friends. Every inning, every out, every… single… pitch. This game was insane. The longest win-or-go-home MLB game of all time based on innings alone. (I reported this on my Instagram page before the MLB or the Fox broadcast did.)
Mariners vs Tigers
The storyline leading up to this game was the history of the starters. Tarik Skubal pitched 7 innings of 2 earned run baseball in Game 2 of this series, while George Kirby had a history of pitching poorly against the Tigers hitters. Kerry Carpenter, Gleyber Torres, and Spencer Torkelson have had some great success against Kirby, but only Carpenter this postseason. Kirby threw 5 innings of 2 earned run baseball in Game 1. I made a prediction before this game that whoever’s starter got past the 6th inning would be victorious. Let’s see if I was right.
Tarik Skubal was on tonight, but so was George Kirby. Skubal got through 6 innings, with 13 strikeouts and only 1 earned run. Kirby threw 5 innings of 1 earned run baseball with 6 strikeouts. Skubal made it through the 6th inning, however, both starters got a no-decision. My prediction at this point directed the Tigers to win.
This game flew into the 12th inning and I had very few issues with the coaching to that point. Managers have been using their closers before the 9th inning a lot this postseason, but I mentioned it with the Phillies game yesterday… I don’t understand why teams are asking their closers to go multiple innings when they do not have the lead. In today’s game, both closers pitched the 8th and 9th innings, all scoreless innings, but when you get the lead, you no longer have your closer to pitch. I was hesitant of the pitching change with Kirby, but I understand why Dan Wilson did it.
Both teams failed to score with great opportunities in the 12th inning. Poor execution of a bunt by the Mariners and just bad luck for the Tigers brought us into tying the record for longest win-or-go-home game in MLB postseason history. The bullpens in this game have been just incredible. After Kyle Finnegan and Gabe Speier gave up runs, the bullpens were scoreless. Huge shoutouts to Logan Gilbert, Eduardo Bazardo, Troy Melton and Kreider Montero for being fantastic in extra innings. Jorge Polanco laced a single into right field with the bases loaded to win the game for the Mariners. This game was incredible to the end, but both teams had some massive headaches in this one.
Some other things that happened in this game were just unreal to see. Cal Raleigh saw his first passed ball of the season in the 11th inning of the game. Kerry Carpenter also hit a home run that would have been a homer at 29/30 stadiums EXCEPT for Comerica Park… home of the Detroit Tigers. Ironic that this game was played away from Comerica Park! Also, Leo Rivas came into this game as a pinch hitter and was electric. He picked up his first career postseason as he tied the game for the Mariners.
I have an issue with the teams in the 2025 postseason in general, due executing fundamentals. PFPs (pitcher fielding practice), bunting, defensive positioning are things that should not be issues in the postseason. We saw the Phillies lose because of a poorly executed throw on a grounder to the pitcher. Today JP Crawford missed TWO spots to bunt over runners in extra innings. Thats right… he missed executing a bunt twice in EXTRA INNINGS. Then, in the 13th inning… Jorge Polanco decided not to bunt when there were runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs. This is a direct correlation to coaching. It’s inexcusable to miss once. It’s unacceptable to miss it twice.
Final Thoughts
While my predication was wrong that the team that had a starter finish 6 innings would win, this game will be one I don’t think I’ll ever forget. Seattle moves on to the American League Championship Series to face the Toronto Blue Jays. It’s going to be a great coaching matchup, pitching matchup, and hitting matchup. This will be a fun one! Come on back tomorrow for another recap of our final divisional series, the Brewers vs Cubs. Remember to like this article and Restack it!
