The Seattle Mariners emerged victorious from the longest winner-take-all postseason game in baseball history. Seattle slugged it out with the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the ALDS. The contest went to extra innings knotted at 2-2. And the score was still tied in the 15th inning before Jorge Polanco’s walk-off RBI single clinched the series for the Mariners.

The big base hit ended a 24-year Championship Series drought as the Mariners advanced to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. It also ended a 4-hour, 58-minute marathon matchup in Seattle.

After the Mariners’ epic Game 5 win, Cal Raleigh summed up the experience. “It took so long, holy s—t,” the star catcher said, per The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya.

Mariners win marathon 15-inning Game 5 slugfest

From left, Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (29), shortstop J.P. Crawford (3) and first baseman Josh Naylor (12) celebrate 3-2 win over Detroit Tigers after 15 innings at ALDS Game 5 at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on Friday, Oct. 10, 2025.
Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The ALDS finale was certainly long. The near five-hour contest set a record for winner-take-all playoff games. And the 15-inning battle is also tied for the sixth-longest postseason game ever played.

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Both teams got sensational starts from their aces, Tarik Skubal and George Kirby. Skubal allowed just one run in six innings while striking out 13 batters. He punctuated his outing by striking out Raleigh on a 100.9 mph fastball, leaving the game with a 2-1 lead.

But Kirby matched the reigning AL Cy Young winner with five scoreless frames of his own. And Leo Rivas tied the score with an RBI single off Tyler Holton in a clutch seventh-inning pinch-hit at-bat.

With the game tied 2-2 the bullpens took over. The teams used a combined 13 relief pitchers to grind out scoreless inning after scoreless inning. Key Mariners’ relievers Matt Brash, Eduard Bazardo and Andres Munoz each logged more than one high-leverage inning. And starters Logan Gilbert and Luis Castillo were also used in the must-win matchup.

The Mariners went 2-11 with runners in scoring position in Game 5. But with the bases loaded in the 15th inning, Polanco delivered the series-clinching single off Tommy Kahnle.

After an MVP-caliber regular season, Raleigh continued hitting in the playoffs. The All-Star catcher hit .381 with a 1.051 OPS in five postseason games. He belted his 61st home run of 2025 in Game 3 of the ALDS. Now Raleigh will look to keep his dream season going against the Toronto Blue Jays in the Championship round.