JORGE POLANCO SENDS THE MARINERS TO THE ALCS AFTER A 15 INNING THRILLER
Postseason baseball, man. Nothing like it. I don't even know how to go about this blog. That game was absolutely insane. Game 5 do or die with both teams having plenty of chances in extras to win it. Every second your team is pitching you want to die. There is truly no bigger relief than when your guys manage to escape a half inning and turn it over to the offense. 15 pitchers, 5 starters, 472 pitches, all leading to Jorge Polanco's base hit to right field to send Seattle back to the ALCS for the first time since 2001.
Was it the best display of offensive execution you've ever seen? Not in the slightest. But man was there some clutching pitching and defense to push this game past 1AM EST as both teams fought through tooth and nail to stay alive. Euphoria for Seattle, heartbreak for Detroit. The biggest winner? Toronto. They sit comfortably at home, waking up some time Saturday morning to find out who is crossing the border on Sunday to pay them a visit.
Let's try to give you an idea of what happened in this game before I call it a night. Shout out to the stray espresso martini I had at 9:00 which ended up keeping me wide awake to take this all in.
Tarik Skubal started this game for Detroit and was spectacular. You can read the tweet below, but I'll type it out. The most strikeouts in a winner-take-all game in postseason history. He was his usual mutant self. Skubal finished his night retiring 13 straight hitters, including a three pitch demolition of Cal Raleigh. This is the best pitcher on the planet.
The big question I want to know the answer to is why was he pulled after six? At "just" 99 pitches, Skubal looked fresh as can be and poised to soar past the century mark considering the stakes. Unless he told Hinch that he was done physically and had nothing left, there's no excuse to pull him there. Maybe that was the case and then there's not much you can say. If Hinch actually thought going to Finnegan was the move in the 7th he deserved to lose this game. Free from the demon that is Skubal, the Mariners immediately answered and tied the game.
From that point on we'd enter a standstill. Starting pitcher Logan Gilbert entered in the 10th and gave Seattle a massive two inning effort. Here he bailed out Cal Raleigh, who gave up his first passed ball of the season to allow the runner to reach second.
The 12th inning was bonkers. The bottom of Detroit's order led off with back to back base hits. Meadows bunted them over, setting up Javy Baez with a golden opportunity. Enter one of the heroes of the game Eduard Bazardo who sawed off Baez and got a weak grounder to 3rd that allowed Suarez to come up with the throw to home.
Bazardo went on to escape the 12th, getting Gleyber to fly out weakly to right.
The chaos continued in the bottom of the inning as Victor Robles tried to bunt over Rivas. The ball CLEARLY hits the bat first and then his hand, which should have been ruled a foul ball. Instead he was awarded first base.
Seriously, what's the point of replay if we're not gonna overturn this?
Well, the Tigers overcame that as Montero got a comebacker from Arozarena and turned a flawless double play to send this sucker to the 13th.
Countless times that throw off the mount to 2nd sails into the outfield. I mean hell, remember what happened Thursday night with the Phillies trying to field a comebacker. Montero didn't blink when that ball came back to him.
Bazardo didn't stop in the 13th, striking out the side. Did I mention he pitched in EVERY SINGLE GAME this series??? Dude got 8 outs Friday night, allowing just the one hit.
In came starting pitcher Jack Flaherty who walked the first two batters he saw. The game seemed like it was certainly heading to an end here, but what do you know? Another clutch double play!
Starting pitcher Luis Castillo came in the 14th with a man on 2nd and 2 outs. Quite the time for your first ever relief appearance, huh? Well, he jammed Javy in on the hands and got the out to erase that threat.
The 14th ended on this dot of a throw from Dingler. You cannot make a better throw than this. Legit any other location the runner is safe.
All of that set up Polanco to send the Tigers home and the Mariners to the ALCS. Poor Tommy Kahnle.
And with that we saw the longest winner take all game in baseball history. Obviously we never see this shit anymore during the regular season because of the automatic runner on 2nd. Great to watch as someone not involved. If the Yankees lost like that to end their playoff life I'd probably just end it all. Congrats to Seattle, their first ALCS trip since 2001.
I have no idea how any of those guys has the energy to celebrate tonight, but they deserve it.
Soak it in now before the goal shifts quickly to Toronto. What an upper hand the Jays have going into Game 1. I'll pencil them in up 1-0.
P.S. Look away over bettors
P.P.S. Does Kahnle do this immediately after the loss?