SEATTLE – The Detroit Tigers defeated the Seattle Mariners in an exciting first game of the American League Division Series, with a final score of 3-2 after 11 innings.
The decisive hit came in the eleventh inning, courtesy of Zach McKinstry, who hit a single that drove in the go-ahead run.
Kerry Carpenter was key for the Tigers, connecting a two-run homer in the fifth inning, demonstrating the team’s resilience after a regular season full of ups and downs.
Tigers’ starting pitcher Tarik Skubal will look to consolidate the lead in the second game, scheduled for Sunday.
In the first extra innings game of this postseason, McKinstry took advantage of Carlos Vargas’ first pitch, sending the ball to center field and allowing Spencer Torkelson to score from second base.
Torkelson, who had received a walk at the beginning of the eleventh inning, advanced to second thanks to a wild pitch by Vargas.
Unlike the regular season, in the postseason, an automatic runner is not placed on second base at the start of extra innings.
This is the Mariners’ second consecutive home loss in postseason games that extend to extra innings. The previous one was against Houston, on October 15, 2022, with a score of 1-0 in 18 innings.
Will Vest pitched two perfect innings to secure the victory, while Keider Montero achieved three outs for his first save in the Major Leagues. Montero maintained his impeccable postseason record and completed a seven-inning relief where the Tigers’ offense only allowed one run.
The Mariners took the lead thanks to a solo home run by Julio Rodríguez in the fourth inning. Rodríguez, after a standout season with more than 30 home runs and 30 stolen bases, hit a pitch from rookie Troy Melton.
However, Seattle’s advantage didn’t last long. Carpenter responded with a home run that gave the Tigers a 2-1 lead.
The left-handed reliever Gabe Speier was warming up in the Seattle bullpen, but manager Dan Wilson opted to face Carpenter with Kirby.
This was Carpenter’s fifth home run against Kirby, making him the fourth player in Major League history with five or more home runs against the same pitcher, all of them being home runs. It was also the second postseason home run for Carpenter, who had an outstanding regular season.
Rodríguez assured that the Mariners would not give up easily, connecting a producer single in the sixth inning that tied the game 2-2.
Seattle’s closer, Andres Munoz, pitched two scoreless innings.
The Mariners only got hits from Rodríguez and Cal Raleigh, who hit three singles.
Keider Montero, reliever for the Tigers, closed the eleventh inning, completing a seven-inning relief where the Tigers’ offense allowed only one run. This was Montero’s first save in the Major Leagues.
