The Detroit Tigers saved their eyes on the prize, surviving a 3-2 extra-innings battle with the Seattle Mariners in Recreation 1 of the ALDS on Saturday. They’re now only one win away from their first ALCS look in 12 years. The sport remained deadlocked at 2-2 by way of 9 innings, with each bullpens holding robust earlier than Detroit lastly broke by way of within the Eleventh.
Rookie starter Troy Melton had a powerful postseason debut for the Tigers, rebounding after being out of his depth in opposition to the Cleveland Guardians within the Wild Card Collection. Melton labored 4 innings, permitting two hits and one run on a solo dwelling run by Julio Rodríguez whereas hanging out 4. His efficiency helped restrict early harm and gave the Detroit bullpen a manageable workload after the earlier collection’ heavy utilization.
The scoring started within the high of the fifth. Parker Meadows singled, placing a runner on for Kerry Carpenter, who got here into the sport hitting 4-for-8 with 4 dwelling runs in opposition to Mariners starter George Kirby. Carpenter crushed a 0-2 pitch over the right-field bleachers, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead. The Mariners responded within the backside of the sixth when Julio Rodriguez drove in a run with an RBI single to tie the sport at 2-2, the primary time Seattle had despatched a runner dwelling within the postseason since Recreation 2 of the 2001 ALCS.
Further innings noticed tense pitching duels. Within the tenth, Mariners’ Andres Munoz struck out back-to-back batters and recorded a lineout, whereas Tigers’ Will Vest mirrored the hassle with a grounder, a come out, and a strikeout.
Within the Eleventh, Spencer Torkelson led off with a stroll and superior to second on a wild pitch by new Mariners reliever Carlos Vargas. After two strikeouts, Tigers utilityman Zach McKinstry, who had gone 0-for-17 within the postseason previous to this at-bat, wrought a clutch RBI single to middle, driving Torkelson dwelling for the go-ahead run. Detroit nearer Keider Montero retired Randy Arozarena, Cal Raleigh, and Josh Naylor so as to shut out the win.
ZACH MCKINSTRY GIVES THE @TIGERS THE LEAD IN THE 11TH! #ALDS pic.twitter.com/6OSA01Kngq
— MLB (@MLB) October 5, 2025
McKinstry has put collectively a profession yr for Motor Metropolis’s Tigers. He was chosen within the thirty third spherical of the 2016 MLB Draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers and labored his method by way of their system earlier than stints with the Cubs and Tigers. In 2025, the 30-year-old made the All-Star group as a substitute for the injured Jeremy Peaa and posted profession highs in batting common (.259), OPS (.771), doubles (23), triples (11), dwelling runs (12), RBI (49), and stolen bases (19).
The Tigers will hand the ball to ace Tarik Skubal, who will begin Recreation 2 in opposition to Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo at 8:03 p.m. ET on Sunday.