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Tigers bullpen wastes rally in gut-wrenching 3-2 loss to Mariners in ALDS Game 2
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- Tigers bullpen wastes rally in gut-wrenching 3-2 loss to Mariners in ALDS Game 2
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners ' superstars rose to the occasion.
It was Cal Raleigh and Julio Rodríguez .
Just like it has been all season.
Back-to-back doubles from Raleigh and Rodríguez in the eighth inning buried the Detroit Tigers for a 3-2 loss in Game 2 of the ALDS on Sunday, Oct. 5, at T-Mobile Park. Both extra-base hits came against right-handed reliever Kyle Finnegan .
Seattle Mariners center fielder Julio Rodriguez (44) hits an RBI double against the Detroit Tigers in the eighth inning during Game 2 of the ALDS at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
Raleigh smacked Finnegan's first-pitch splitter to right field to get into scoring position; Rodríguez pulled Finnegan's second-pitch splitter to left field to drive in Raleigh.
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Seven of Finnegan's eight pitches were splitters.
ANALYSIS: Tigers were taking control of ALDS, but Mariners wrenched it back
In the ninth, Mariners right-handed reliever Andrés Muñoz shut down three Tigers in a row to end the game: Zach McKinstry (strikeout), Javier Báez (popout) and Parker Meadows (groundout).
Tigers next game
The Tigers (1-1) and Mariners (1-1) continue the best-of-five ALDS at Comerica Park in Detroit, with Game 3 scheduled for Tuesday (4:08 p.m., FS1) .
Right-hander Jack Flaherty is set to start for the Tigers, opposed by Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert .
After that, the Tigers and Mariners will compete Wednesday in Game 4 at Comerica Park, with right-hander Casey Mize starting for the Tigers. If needed, Game 5 is set for Friday at T-Mobile Park.
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Left-hander Tarik Skubal is lined up to start Game 5.
A late rally by the Tigers
In Game 2, the Tigers entered the eighth inning trailing, 2-0.
An error by Mariners first baseman Josh Naylor opened the door for the Tigers in the top of the eighth, following a leadoff walk by Gleyber Torres . It should've been a routine groundout by Riley Greene for the second out, but Naylor botched the play to put runners on first and second with one out.
Spencer Torkelson took advantage, tying the game, 2-2, by hitting right-handed reliever Matt Brash 's middle-middle sinker down the right-field line and off the side wall for a two-run double.
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The Mariners didn't wait around to reclaim lead, thanks to the back-to-back doubles from Raleigh and Rodríguez.
Jorge Polanco beats Tarik Skubal
Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal reacts in the sixth inning against the Seattle Mariners in Game 2 of the ALDS at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
Not once but twice.
Jorge Polanco hit two solo home runs off Skubal — the 2024 AL Cy Young winner and the 2025 favorite. The Tigers have lost four of the past five games started by Skubal, dating back to Sept. 12 in the regular season.
Polanco delivered those swings in the fourth and sixth innings.
In the fourth, he blasted Skubal's middle-middle hanging slider with one out for a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, he crushed Skubal's middle-middle sinker with two outs for a 2-0 lead.
Both homers traveled to left field.
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Both were on pitches over the heart of the plate.
Skubal allowed two runs on five hits and one walk with nine strikeouts across seven innings, throwing 97 pitches. He owns a 2.21 ERA in his postseason career, spanning 33⅔ innings in five starts.
Another Kerry Carpenter decision
Manager A.J. Hinch faced an important decision about slugger Kerry Carpenter in the fifth inning of Game 2, as the Tigers had runners on the corners and two outs.
At the time, the Tigers were trailing 1-0.
The decision was forced by Mariners manager Dan Wilson, who pulled right-handed starter Luis Castillo before Carpenter stepped to the plate for a third time. He replaced Castillo with left-handed reliever Gabe Speier to get the matchup advantage.
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Detroit Tigers right fielder Kerry Carpenter (31) reacts after striking out in the fifth inning against the Seattle Mariners in Game 2 of the ALDS at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025.
Hinch could've pinch-hit Jahmai Jones , a right-handed hitter who thrives against lefty pitchers.
But Hinch stuck with Carpenter.
Carpenter struck out swinging, stranding two runners in the fifth inning.
Luis Castillo outlasts Tigers
The Tigers could've pounced in the early innings.
Castillo walked three of the first seven batters he faced in the first and second innings, but the Tigers couldn't get the big swing — a month-long issue.
In the first, Carpenter walked with one out before both Greene and Torkelson flew out. In the second, Colt Keith and McKinstry walked to threaten with one out, only for Báez's groundout and Meadows' strikeout to strand the runners.
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Castillo threw 51 pitches in the first two innings.
The Tigers didn't have any runs to show for their efforts.
Castillo completed 4⅔ scoreless innings on one hit and four walks with three strikeouts, throwing 85 pitches. The Tigers didn't record their first hit until Torres ripped Castillo's two-strike sinker for a single with two outs in the fifth inning.
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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Tigers bullpen blows momentum in 3-2 loss to Mariners in Game 2
