The Detroit Tigers clawed their way back from a 3-0 deficit to dismantle the Seattle Mariners 9-3 on Wednesday night, evening the ALDS at 2-2 and sending the series to a winner-take-all Game 5 in Seattle. The victory, powered by a seven-run explosion across the middle innings, keeps Detroit’s improbable playoff run alive—just one win shy of the ALCS for the second straight season.
The Mariners struck first and built a commanding early edge, capitalizing on Detroit’s pitching woes. In the second, Dominic Canzone’s single to right plated Josh Naylor, who had doubled earlier, for a 1-0 lead. Seattle added another in the fourth when Victor Robles grounded into a double play with the bases loaded, scoring Naylor and stranding Eugenio Suárez at third after a bases-loaded threat was defused by Tigers reliever Kyle Finnegan’s clutch double-play ball and subsequent pop-up. Cal Raleigh’s RBI single in the fifth off Tyler Holton extended the advantage to 3-0, with Naylor’s three-hit night fueling Seattle’s opportunistic offense.
Tigers starter Casey Mize escaped the first unscathed but was pulled early amid the Mariners’ pressure, drawing some second-guess from the home crowd as Detroit’s bats went quiet against Bryce Miller in his postseason debut. Miller, who entered with a lifetime scoreless streak of 19 innings against the Tigers, held Detroit to just two runs over 4.1 frames before handing off to a bullpen that unraveled spectacularly.
Momentum flipped dramatically in the bottom of the fifth, igniting the Comerica faithful. Spencer Torkelson opened with a single, Dillon Dingler followed with an RBI double to left-center to plate Zach McKinstry (who had reached via fielder’s choice), cutting the deficit to 3-1. Pinch-hitter Jahmai Jones then ripped an RBI double down the left-field line, scoring Dingler for 3-2. Javier Báez, the sparkplug shortstop, delivered the equalizer with a sharp RBI single to center, tying it at 3-3 and nearly leaving the yard after fouling a home run attempt just prior.
The sixth inning became the Tigers’ demolition derby. Riley Greene, mired in an 0-for-9 slump, crushed a 454-foot solo homer to right off lefty Gabe Speier for a 4-3 lead—his first extra-base hit since the regular-season finale and a massive breakthrough against southpaws. Torkelson doubled immediately after, and McKinstry’s single to right scored him for 5-3. After an out, Wenceel Pérez doubled to put runners at second and third with two away, setting the stage for Báez’s thunderous three-run homer to left—his second clutch blow of the night, ballooning the lead to 8-3? Wait, no: actually pushing it to 8-3 in the sequence, but the math confirms 7-3 post-homer before later additions. Báez finished 2-for-4 with four RBIs, embodying the “don’t let the Tigers get hot” mantra that haunted opponents last fall.
The onslaught continued into the seventh, where Gleyber Torres belted a solo homer to right, making it 8-3. Báez capped his heroics in the eighth with a fielder’s choice grounder that scored McKinstry from third for the final 9-3 tally. Detroit’s 13 hits, including three homers and four doubles, overwhelmed Seattle’s arms, as relievers Speier (0-1) and Eduard Bazardo surrendered five runs in just five outs combined.
Rookie reliever Troy Melton stole the show on the mound for Detroit, tossing scoreless frames in his second playoff appearance and slamming the door after the early chaos. The Mariners, meanwhile, stranded 14 runners and went 2-for-10 with RISP, their bullpen taxed after overuse in the series.
Game 5 looms Friday at T-Mobile Park, with ace Tarik Skubal likely taking the hill for the Tigers against Seattle’s George Kirby—start time TBD pending the Yankees-Blue Jays ALDS outcome. For Detroit, it’s simple: Survive and advance, or the dream ends. But after this resurrection, no one’s counting them out.
