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Jorge Polanco finally sends Mariners to ALCS with 15th-inning walk-off single
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- Jorge Polanco finally sends Mariners to ALCS with 15th-inning walk-off single
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The post Jorge Polanco finally sends Mariners to ALCS with 15th-inning walk-off single appeared first on ClutchPoints .
The eyes of the baseball world were on American League Division Series Game 5 between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers . The Tigers forced Game 5 with a big offensive outburst at Comerica Park in Game 4. However, the deciding game was much more tightly contested with the game going well into extra innings. Finally, and mercifully, Jorge Polanco ended the proceedings.
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The Tigers turned to veteran Tommy Kahnle in the bottom of the 15th inning. He allowed a single and hit a batter before getting All-Star catcher Cal Raleigh to line out. Julio Rodriguez was intentionally walked, allowing Polanco to come up to hit . On a 3-2 pitch, the Mariners second baseman sent Detroit home for the winter.
The Tigers looked the part of a World Series contender for much of the regular season. In fact, they once held a lead of 15.5 games in the American League Central. However, Detroit collapsed in September, losing the division on the final day of the regular season to the Cleveland Guardians .
Detroit got the last laugh, to be fair. The Tigers faced the Guardians in the American League Wild Card Series. They won Games 1 and 3 of this series to send Cleveland home. Unfortunately, they were eliminated in the same spot they were last season: Game 5 of the ALDS.
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For the Mariners, this is another victory in an improbable season. Seattle clinched the AL West for the first time since 2001 back in September. Now, they are off to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. They will take on the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday night in Toronto.
Seattle will certainly need to sort out its pitching staff following Friday's marathon. However, that is a conversation that can happen on Saturday. For now, the Mariners are going to soak up and celebrate a hard-fought ALDS victory.
Related: Mariners' Julio Rodriguez gives big shoutout to fans after wild 15-inning game
Related: 3 Tigers most to blame for crushing ALDS loss to Mariners
