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Through a gripping 15-inning contest, the Mariners' infielder drove in the winning run with a single to the outfield, sealing a 3-2 win for the Seattle Mariners over the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the American League Division Series.

Decisive Plays in the Marathon Matchup

The Mariners pitcher, making his first relief appearance in the big leagues, pitched over an inning to earn the victory, sending his team to the ALCS for the initial occasion in over two decades.

The Mariners will now compete against the Toronto for the pennant in a showdown between 1977 expansion brethren. The series opener is scheduled for Sunday in Toronto.

15th Inning Game-Winning Sequence

• JP Crawford started the bottom of the last inning with a sharp hit to the outfield.
• Another batter was struck by a throw, putting runners on the bases.
• After a teammate made an out, a fielding mistake by the center fielder allowed Crawford to advance.
• Following an intentional walk, the batter singled on a full count to conclude the contest.

Key Runs and Pitching Efforts

Kerry Carpenter provided all of the visitors' scoring with a two-run homer in the sixth inning.

Seattle evened the score at 2-2 in the later inning on a substitute batter's RBI single.

Each squad posed a danger multiple times in extra innings, with the Mariners hitting into inning-ending double plays in both the later extra innings.

Opening Hurlers Duel

Tarik Skubal and George Kirby engaged in a low-scoring battle in the early innings.

Skubal, a Cy Young Award favorite, allowed a single score on two hits with zero bases on balls and 13 strikeouts over six innings. He established a postseason record with seven consecutive strikeouts.

His sole allowed score came in the second inning, when a two-base hit, theft, and deep out brought home a point for the home side.

Kirby opened with five scoreless innings before surrendering a early hit in the sixth. After a bullpen move, the Tigers batter homered on a fastball to give Detroit the advantage.

The starter went over five frames and was responsible for one run on a few hits with no walks and several K's.

This victory signifies a major achievement for the Seattle franchise, who move forward to compete for a spot in the World Series after a long postseason absence.