Julio Rodriguez’s run-scoring double with one out in the bottom of the eighth broke a tie as the Seattle Mariners defeated the visiting Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Sunday night to even their best-of-five American League Division Series at one game apiece.
Jorge Polanco hit a pair of solo homers for the Mariners, both off Tigers ace Tarik Skubal.
Game 3 of the best-of-five series is scheduled for Tuesday in Detroit. The Tigers won the series opener 3-2 in 11 innings Saturday in Seattle.
The victory was Seattle’s first in the postseason since 2001.
“We haven’t had a time like this in awhile, so being able to deliver a win like this, for the fans, was really special,” Rodriguez said on the FS1 postgame show. “We know the job is not finished. Got to go out there (to Detroit) and grind and keep going.”
Trailing 2-0, the Tigers tied the score with an unearned run in the eighth off Mariners reliever Matt Brash (1-0). Gleyber Torres drew a leadoff walk and, one out later, Riley Greene reached on first baseman Josh Naylor’s fielding error. Spencer Torkelson hit a liner down the right field line for a double that scored both runners to make it 2-2.
With one out in the bottom of the inning, Cal Raleigh doubled into the right field corner off Kyle Finnegan (1-1). Rodriguez followed with a liner down the left field line to break the tie.
Mariners closer Andres Munoz, who pitched two innings in the opener, worked a 1-2-3 ninth for the save.
Skubal, who is the favorite to win a second consecutive AL Cy Young Award, allowed two runs on five hits over seven innings. The left-hander, who went to Seattle University, walked one and struck out nine.
Polanco broke a scoreless tie with one out in the fourth inning, hitting a 2-0 slider from Skubal into the Mariners’ bullpen in left-center field.
Polanco doubled Seattle’s advantage with two outs in the sixth, lining a 3-2 sinker over the wall in the left field corner.
“It’s that time of year, you’re going to get some good arms,” Raleigh told FS1. “Just needed somebody to step up and (Polanco) did.”
Mariners starter Luis Castillo was effectively wild. He didn’t allow a hit until two outs in the fifth inning when Torres grounded a single through the right side of the infield with second baseman Polanco covering the bag on Parker Meadows’ stolen-base attempt.
That was it for Castillo, as Mariners manager Dan Wilson called upon left-hander Gabe Speier to face Kerry Carpenter, who homered in a similar spot in Game 1. Speier struck out Carpenter with runners at the corners to end the inning.
Castillo gave up one hit over 4 2/3 scoreless innings, with four walks and three strikeouts.
“Obviously it’s a frustrating loss because every loss at this time of year is frustrating, but I’m obviously proud of our group and excited to get home,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said in a postgame news conference.
–Field Level Media
