It is when pressure hits that the character of a team is tested, and the Seattle Mariners have been passing the adversity test with flying colors. On Thursday, the Mariners' incredible run of games continued, as they managed to escape a tough battle against a bottom-dweller in the AL West, the Los Angeles Angels, with a 7-6 win thanks to some heroics from promising rookie Harry Ford, who hit a pinch-hit sacrifice fly with the bases loaded.
Ford could hardly make a mistake; he just needed to avoid striking out, popping out, or grounding out in a way that would have allowed the Angels to get the runner out at first base. But the Mariners rookie, who ranks among the top 100 prospects in MLB according to multiple major outlets, did his job admirably — drawing love from his teammates as a result.
The 22-year-old catcher was so ecstatic after he drove in the walk-off run, and why wouldn't he be — the Mariners have now won six straight as a result of his heroics and have now tied the Houston Astros for the AL West lead.
Harry Ford, welcome to the big leagues.
The rookie calls game with a sac fly into right field that scores Jorge Polanco from third base, sending Seattle to a 7-6, walk-off victory in the 12th inning — and into a tie for first place atop the AL West. pic.twitter.com/rXN3H4PfiI
— Daniel Kramer (@DKramer_) September 12, 2025
After the game, Ford gave reporters an insight as to what was going through his mind before he walked things off for the Mariners to push them to 79-68 on the season.
“I'm just like, ‘Just do the job,'” Ford said, via Circling Seattle Sports on X, formerly Twitter. “Just get the ball to the right side, get the ball in the air.”
Harry Ford on his mindset ahead of his walk off sacrifice fly for the @Mariners tonight.#TridentsUp #SeattleMariners pic.twitter.com/il2fX5mM2I
— Circling Seattle Sports (@CirclingSports) September 12, 2025
The Mariners are definitely doing the job right now; this was their second consecutive walk-off win in extra innings, with Ford's walk-off sac fly in the 12th following up Leo Rivas' walk-off two-run home run against the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday in the 13th inning.
While the Mariners are still five games back of a bye to the ALDS with 15 games remaining, getting homefield advantage in the Wild Card round would already go a long way towards helping their World Series dreams.
Mariners' Harry Ford bursts onto the scene in extras
Ford has been having an incredible season in Triple-A, and the Mariners rewarded him with a call-up; the 22-year-old has then provided Seattle with another memorable moment in a season filled with them.
In 97 Triple-A games this year, Ford tallied 16 home runs and 74 runs batted in on an OPS of .868. He has excellent on-base skills, and he comes through in important moments. The Mariners have Cal Raleigh ahead of him in the depth chart, however, but when has it ever been bad for a baseball team to have two incredible catchers at the same time?
