The Tigers wound up on the wrong end of the longest winner-take-all postseason game in MLB history. Their season is over after a 3-2 loss in 15 innings to the Mariners in Game 5 of the ALDS.
The knockout blow came from Jorge Polanco off Tommy Kahnle, a single into right field on a 3-2 pitch with the bases loaded.
Both teams had numerous opportunities to win the game well before the 15th. The best chance for the Tigers came with runners on 2nd and 3rd and one out in the 12th. Zach McKinstry was thrown at home on a ground ball to third off the bat of Javy Baez and Gleyber Torres flied out to end the threat.
The Tigers used eight pitchers starting with Tarik Skubal, who was masterful, even while the Mariners made him work. At one point he struck out seven hitters in a row, an MLB playoff record. In three starts in this year's playoffs, Skubal allowed four runs in 20 2/3 innings with 36 strikeouts to four walks.
A.J. Hinch lifted Skubal after the sixth at 99 pitches and the Mariners tied it in the seventh. Kyle Finnegan put two runners on with a walk and a single, prompting Hinch to turn to left-hander Tyler Holton when the Mariners sent lefty Dominic Canzone to the plate as a pinch-hitter, which prompted Seattle to pinch hit again with righty Leo Rivas. On his 28th birthday, Rivas singled to left to the game.
The Mariners used seven pitchers starting with George Kirby, who was chased from the game when Javy Baez led off the sixth with a double. With the lineup turning over to Kerry Carpenter, who has owned Kirby, Seattle manager Dan Wilson had no choice but to turn to lefty Gabe Speier. It didn't matter. Carpenter took Speier deep to right for a two-run bomb that gave Detroit the lead.
The Mariners broke the scoreless tie in the second when Josh Naylor flicked a double down the left-field line on a half-swing with two strikes, then stole third with the help of the raucous crowd in Seattle. The fans were so loud that Skubal couldn't hear his infielders yelling at him to step off when Naylor was almost halfway to third before the pitch. Naylor scored on a sac fly by Mitch Garver.