MLB Fans Go into Frenzy as Mariners Walk-off Tigers in 15th Inning to Reach ALCS: “Game of the Decade”

The Seattle Mariners edged out the Detroit Tigers in the 15th inning and emerged as 3-2 winners in Game 5 of the ALDS.

MLB Fans Go into Frenzy as Mariners Walk-off Tigers in 15th Inning to Reach ALCS: “Game of the Decade”

Jorge Polanco ended the game in the 15th inning with a walk-off single (Image via X/@Mariners)

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The Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers gave it all on Friday night. In a wild game that stretched up to 15 innings, the Mariners walked off their opponents to reach the 2025 American League Championship Series (ALCS).

The two teams were evenly matched and traded blows left and right throughout the series. A 9-3 win for the Tigers in Game 4 leveled the series at 2-2 and forced Game 5 in Seattle.

The hosts took an early lead in the 2nd inning. A sacrifice fly from Mitch Graver allowed Josh Naylor to score from third and make it a 1-0 ballgame.

Tarik Skubal, the reigning AL Cy Young Award winner, was dominant once again. The pitcher picked up 13 strikeouts, the most in an elimination game, and kept his team in the game. The Tigers took the lead in the top of the 6th inning through a 2-run home run from Kerry Carpenter.

The Mariners tied the game in the bottom of the 7th inning through Leo Rivas. The pinch-hitter, who was celebrating his birthday, hit a single to left field, which allowed Jorge Polanco to score.

At that point, very few would have imagined what this game had in store. With the game tied at 2-2 after 9 innings, the game went into extra innings. Unlike the regular season, there was no automatic runner on 2nd base in this game.

The matchup became a pitching duel between the two bullpens. Both sides got into some scoring positions, but were just unable to get the breakthrough until the bottom of the 15th inning.

The Mariners loaded up the bases against Tommy Kahnle. Polanco, who was 0-for-5 in the game, managed to hit a line drive to right field. J.P. Crawford would come home and end the game and the series.

This match turned out to be the longest winner-take-all game in MLB postseason history. It is also the 6th-longest postseason game in history.

Social media reacts as Marines edge out Tigers in a classic game

Game 5 of the 2025 ALDS between the Seattle Mariners and the Detroit Tigers will be remembered for a long time. In a classic game, the two teams kept on trading blows. In the end, the Mariners had just enough left in their tank to get over the finish line.

Seattle Mariners
Seattle Mariners celebrating the walk-off win (Image via X/@Mariners)

Social media was in a frenzy as the two sides kept battling it out in extra innings. Each out generated massive buzz as fans kept on watching. After the Mariners eventually got the job done, one fan on X wrote, “Game of the decade,” to describe their feelings.

Check out some top reactions from X regarding this match below:

For the Tigers, it was another Game 5 ALDS loss away from home. Last year, they lost 7-3 in Game 5 against the Cleveland Guardians in Cleveland. This year, it’s the Mariners who broke their hearts in Seattle in Game 5.

Mariners to play in their first ALCS in 24 years following wild walk-off win

The Seattle Mariners are ALCS-bound again. For the first time in 24 years, the AL West side will take part in the League Championship Series and try to do one better than they did in their last appearance in 2001.

Seattle Mariners will play in their first ALCS since 2001
Seattle Mariners will play in their first ALCS since 2001 (Image via X/@MLB)

The Mariners set the record for the most wins in a regular season that year when they finished with a 116-46. They then defeated the Cleveland Guardians in the division series and faced off against the New York Yankees.

The Bronx Bombers, who had won the last 3 World Series, would dominate the Marines and knock them out 4-1 after 5 games before losing in the World Series in Game 7 against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

After 24 years, the Mariners are finally back in the ALCS. They will take on the Toronto Blue Jays, who reached their first ALCS since 2016 by eliminating the Yankees in Game 4.

Game 1 of the ALCS will take place in Toronto on Sunday. As the Blue Jays finished with the best record in the American League, they will have home series advantage in this best-of-seven series.

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