Julio Rodríguez delivered when the Seattle Mariners needed him most. The All-Star center fielder ripped a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning to lift Seattle past the Detroit Tigers 3-2 on Sunday night at T-Mobile Park, evening the American League Division Series at one game apiece.
With the score tied 2-2 in the bottom of the eighth, AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh doubled with one out, lining Kyle Finnegan’s pitch into the right-field corner and sliding headfirst into second base as the sellout crowd of 47,431 roared. Two pitches later, Rodríguez followed with a laser into the left-center gap to bring home Raleigh and give Seattle the lead for good.
Closer Andrés Muñoz then sealed the victory, setting the Tigers down in order in the ninth for the save — just one night after throwing two innings in Seattle’s 11-inning loss in Game 1.
“I just wanted to come through for my team,” Rodríguez said. “This city deserves moments like that. Cal set it up, and I just tried to do my job.”
While Rodríguez’s double was the decisive blow, veteran infielder Jorge Polanco provided the power early. Polanco homered twice — once in the fourth inning and again in the sixth off reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal — becoming just the fourth Mariner with a multi-homer game in the postseason. The others? Franchise legends Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar Martinez, and Jay Buhner, all of whom accomplished the feat during the club’s memorable 1995 playoff run.
Polanco’s first blast, a solo shot to left-center, opened the scoring. His second, another no-doubter, extended Seattle’s lead to 2-0 in the sixth.
Detroit had been stymied by Luis Castillo and three Mariners relievers through seven innings. Castillo was dominant early, tossing 4 2/3 scoreless innings and allowing just one hit — a two-out single by Gleyber Torres in the fifth — while lowering his career postseason ERA to 1.49 across 24 1/3 innings.
But in the top of the eighth, the Tigers finally broke through. Torres drew a leadoff walk against Matt Brash, and Riley Greene reached on a fielder’s choice that was misplayed by first baseman Josh Naylor. Spencer Torkelson followed with a sharp double into the right-field corner, tying the game 2-2 and quieting the Seattle faithful — at least for a moment.
That momentum swing didn’t last long. Raleigh and Rodríguez restored order in the bottom half with back-to-back doubles that reignited the home crowd.
Skubal, who struck out 14 in his Wild Card Series win over Cleveland, was again superb. The Tigers’ ace fanned nine over seven innings, allowing just five hits and two walks while keeping the Tigers within striking distance. His only blemishes came on Polanco’s two homers.
“Tarik was outstanding again,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “We didn’t play clean enough behind him, and in October, little mistakes get magnified.”
With the best-of-five series tied 1-1, the matchup now shifts to Comerica Park for Game 3 on Tuesday. The Tigers will send right-hander Reese Olson to the mound, while Seattle is expected to counter with George Kirby.
“This is what playoff baseball is about,” Mariners manager Scott Servais said. “Every inning feels like a fight. We got punched last night, but tonight we punched back.”
