Seattle Mariners Make History

SEATTLE — The executive suite for the Mariners, located on the club level overlooking Elliott Bay, is surrounded by a rich historical backdrop. The walls are adorned with memorable quotes from Dave Niehaus, celebrating a division series victory from decades past.

“The Mariners are going to play for the American League championship! I don’t believe it! It just continues!”

In a thrilling match on Friday night, the Mariners reached the AL Championship Series for the first time in 30 years, triumphing after more innings than any other winner-take-all game in postseason history.

New heroes emerged in Seattle as pitchers advanced their skills and both established and new players made significant contributions. The Mariners overcame the Detroit Tigers in a grueling 15-inning game, concluding with a score of 3-2, when Jorge Polanco drove in J.P. Crawford with a single in the 298th minute of an unforgettable night.

“It felt like the ground was shaking every inning,” reflected Leo Rivas, whose crucial single tied the game in the seventh inning. “It just feels amazing.” The crowd of 47,025 celebrated Rivas, who marked his 28th birthday in a memorable way.

Polanco’s game-winning hit came off a changeup from Tommy Kahnle, as Crawford danced home, savoring every moment. Celebrating in the clubhouse, Crawford exclaimed, “Let’s party!” as the team prepared to kick off the ALCS on Sunday in Toronto.

The Mariners had successfully defeated Tarik Skubal, the Tigers’ ace, in both games he started during the series. “Winning games that Skubal starts is tough, but we did it four times,” stated Jerry Dipoto, the Mariners’ president of baseball operations. “Our pitchers kept it close, and we knew we had a chance to win once Skubal was out.”