The Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers are preparing for a do-or-die Game 5 of the American League Division Series. They lost Game 4 on the road, but are coming back home with a chance to get back to the ALCS for the first time since 2001. Mariners manager Dan Wilson spoke about the excitement of the deciding Game 5 against Tarik Skubal and the Tigers.

“These [games] take on an excitement of their own. And this is what we play for, this is the excitement of postseason baseball. This is the excitement for any player that has been through it, and I think that there is so much that goes into these games. But I think, ultimately, when that first pitch is thrown, you've crossed the lines, it feels very familiar to a game,” Wilson said at his press conference.

In his first full season as Mariners manager, Wilson has brought Seattle to a place it has not been since 2001. He was a catcher on that historic 116-win season, and the franchise has not been to the ALCS since. They had also not won the American League West title since, a drought they broke this September.

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The Mariners have to face Tarik Skubal, the likely two-time AL Cy Young winner, in the winner-take-all game. They have beaten Detroit in each of the three games they have played against Skubal, mostly because of their great pitching response. Wilson has his ace, George Kirby, on the mound for Game 5.

The Mariners got a great offensive season from Cal Raleigh and Randy Arozarena, traded for Eugenio Suarez and Josh Naylor, and continued being an elite pitching team. All of that combined for 90 wins and a division title. But to make this season live on, they need to win on Friday and send the Tigers home.

Mariners vs Tigers begins at 5:08 p.m. Pacific time.