4 Takeaways From Mariners’ ALDS Game 5 Win Over Tigers to Advance to ALCS

Extra innings. Old-fashioned pitchers’ duel. Endless debates about aces being pulled too soon. Clutch hitting. Gutsy baserunning. Phenomenal performances from the bullpen — including from starting pitchers. Controversial calls. Walk-off win. Game of the year.

Here are my takeaways:

1. Polanco calls game

The Mariners had so many chances, but it wasn’t until Jorge Polanco ripped a Tommy Kahnle changeup to right field with the bases loaded in the bottom of the 15th inning that the Mariners could finally celebrate. Polanco’s walk-off single scored J.P. Crawford, the longest-tenured Mariner, from third base. Cal Raleigh and Josh Naylor embraced him at home plate before running to mob Polanco at first. 

Before then, the game had stretched so long that both the Mariners and Tigers were forced to go into their reservoir of starting pitchers. Detroit’s ALDS Game 3 starter Jack Flaherty entered the game in the 13th inning, and Game 2 starter Luis Castillo took the mound for Seattle in the 14th inning. After giving everything, it was heartbreak for the Tigers. The Mariners advanced on Polanco’s first hit of the night, in his sixth at-bat of the game.

2. Birthday salvation

In the seventh inning with the Mariners trailing the Tigers 2-1, Leo Rivas dug into the box as Seattle’s pinch-hitter with fewer than 200 career plate appearances under his belt. It was his 28th birthday, and he was on the verge of celebrating it in a packed T-Mobile Park. Rivas ripped a Tyler Holton changeup to left field, driving in  Polanco from second to tie the game at 2-2. He was fired up, and the crowd went wild. 

Leo Rivas came up clutch for the Mariners in Game 5. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Rivas, born in Venezuela, spent nine years in the minor leagues before making his major-league debut for the M’s last year. The switch-hitting infielder was selected to the ALDS roster over Cole Young and Miles Mastrobuoni after he hit .244 with a .721 OPS, two home runs, 20 walks, nine RBI, six stolen bases, and two doubles in 48 big-league games this season. The decision to add Rivas to the roster was crucial. He saved the Mariners season.

Mariners’ Leo Rivas drives in game-tying run vs. Tigers in seventh inning

3. Kirby’s controversy, Kerry’s inevitability

The decision to pull George Kirby at 66 pitches will be talked about for a long time. Kirby was, by all accounts, cruising through Detroit’s lineup before he gave up a leadoff double to Javy Baez in the sixth inning. With Kerry Carpenter coming up, Mariners manager Dan Wilson walked to the mound. That was it. Kirby was done after five innings, three hits, six strikeouts, and no walks allowed — all because Carpenter has five career home runs off Kirby, including in Game 1 of the ALDS. 

Perhaps George Kirby’s night could have gone a bit longer. (Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)

Seattle’s game plan was for Gabe Speier, a left-hander, to handle Carpenter and make good on Kirby’s controversial quick hook. But Speir made a mistake. The Mariners southpaw threw a meatball that Carpenter didn’t miss. Two-run homer. Finally, the Tigers offense had life. 

All they needed was Seattle’s ace to get off the mound. And, no longer in the driver’s seat, all Kirby could do was bite his towel in frustration. Carpenter going yard was inevitable. There’s a reason M’s fans call him Kerry Bonds.

4. Skubal sets new MLB record(s)

Put Tarik Subal in the high-octane environment of a winner-take-all Game 5, and he’s going to dominate. By the end of the fourth inning, he’d set a new playoff record. Skubal struck out seven straight batters from the end of the second inning to the fourth. It was the most consecutive strikeouts by a pitcher in a postseason game. And still, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch took him out of the game after just six innings and 99 pitches. The Mariners scored as soon as he was pulled. 

There were signs everywhere that Skubal should’ve stayed in at least one more inning. His five strikeouts of 100-plus mph this postseason were the most by any starting pitcher in a postseason career in the pitch-tracking era, which dates back to 2008. At one point, Skubal went on a run, recording 10 strikeouts through 12 batters. By the time his night was over, his 13 strikeouts were the most by a starting pitcher in a winner-take-all game. Those 13 whiffs with no walks are tied for the most in a postseason game, with Gerrit Cole (2020 AL Wild Card Game 1) and Tom Seaver (NLCS Game 1).

Tarik Skubal had jewel from the mound but it wasn’t enough for the Tigers. (Photo by Jane Gershovich/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

4 ½. Wilson praises Naylor: ‘Smart, heady player’

That’s how Mariners manager Dan Wilson described Josh Naylor to FOX Sports sideline reporter Tom Verducci. Naylor generated Seattle’s first run of the game after he lined a one-out double to left field in the second inning, but the most impressive part of his game came after. Naylor stole third base on Skubal and Mitch Garver promptly drove him in with a sacrifice fly one moment later. Naylor almost went on the paternity list during the ALDS. Instead, he finished Game 5 going 3-for-6 with a run scored. Playing smart and bold baseball wins games in the playoffs.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.