DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers’ sloppy play doomed them early, as the Seattle Mariners took Game 3 of the American League Divisional Series 8-4.
Tuesday’s (Oct. 7) game came down to homeruns and pitching as Seattle retook homefield advavtage with three moon shots and a fantastic outing by pitcher Logan Gilbert who was dealing on the mound to take a 2-1 series lead and move one game closer to advancing to the ALCS.
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The Tigers havent won at home since Sept. 6.
After a long rain delay, Game 3 of the American League Divisional Series between the Tigers and Mariners tossed out their wet and wild first pitch three hours later.
The much-anticipated ALDS first game of two began at 7 p.m. as the tarp was finally pulled off the field inside Comerica Park on Tuesday (Oct. 7).
Taking the mound for the Tigers was right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty, who opened the game with a close call on a once-called base hit to Mariners lead-off hitter Randy Arozarena, who looked to beat out the tag at first, but was overturned after manager A.J. Hinch challenged the play of the inning.
Catcher Cal Raleigh popped out on a first-pitch fastball by Flaherty to get the second out of the inning.
Center fielder Julio Rodriguez came up to the plate and struck out looking following a nasty breaking ball by Flaherty to end the inning.
Bottom 1st
In the bottom of the first, Logan Gilbert took the mound for the Mariners as Kerry Carpenter hit a one-hop rocket to Jorge Polanco for the snag and toss to first for the out.
Second baseman Gleyber Torres hit a shot to center field before getting tossed out, breaking up a double play behind the bat of Colt Keith.
Outfielder Riley Greene struck out on two filthy breaking balls to end the nine-pitch inning by Gilbert.
Top of 2nd
Polanco stepped up to the plate for the first time in the game and struck out on a 2-2 breaking ball for the first out of the inning.
First baseman Josh Naylor missed the team flight due to the birth of his child, but rejoined the team and stepped to the plate for the first time of the night, after a quick timeout by Flaherty and catcher Dillon Dingler, after 12 pitches, got tossed out after a changup dribbler to Torres with the stretched assists by Spencer Torkelson for the second out of the inning.
Third baseman Eugenio Suarez drew a 3-2 walk as Flaherty’s pitch count jumped to 31 in two innings.
Designated hitter Dominic Canzone struck out on a 2-2 breaking ball to end the inning.
Through the second inning, Flaherty tossed 37 pitches, 26 of which were called strikes while accumulating three strikeouts and one walk.
Bottom 2nd
Torkelson grounded to third for the first out of the inning followed by third baseman Zach McKinstry who too grounded out, this time to first base out number two.
Torkelson grounded to third for the first out of the inning, followed by third baseman Zach McKinstry, who also grounded out, this time to first base, out number two.
Dingler took a first-pitch fastball for a ball to start his at-bat, followed by a foul tip for the first strike of the at-bat.
He hit a two-out single to left field for his first hit of the ALDS.
Centerfielder Parker Meadows drew a full count with Dingler on first with two outs and struck out on a high fastball to end the inning.
Top of 3rd
Flaherty stepped back onto the mound to face right fielder Victor Robles, who hammered a double down the left field line.
Shortstop J.P. Crawford battled at the plate with a runner in scoring position and hit a blooper to left field.
McKinstry missed the cutoff and put Dingler in a tough spot, who bobbled the ball, leading to Robles scoring after an unsuccessful challenge.
Greene was assessed with an error on the run, allowing Seattle to take a 1-0 lead.
Arozarena singled to centerfield, bringing home Crawford to take a 2-0 lead.
Flaherty did not get help from his defense as all three hits were achieved in seven pitch stretch while being up in the count.
Flaherty did not get help from his defense, as all three hits were achieved in a seven-pitch stretch while being up in the count.
Raleigh stepped to the plate and took a 3-0 fastball on Flaherty’s 50th pitch of the game, with 16 being fouled balls.
The Big Dumper walked in the inning as Flaherty started struggling with two men on base and no outs.
Rodriguez took a 3-1 count and swung with a big cut on a fastball before striking out on a nasty slider for the first out of the inning.
Polanco took a first-pitch knuckle curve for a strike before taking a ball.
He took a fastball on the corner of the plate before a breaking ball drew the count to 2-2, but Flaherty got him swinging on a curveball.
Naylor launched a warning track pop-out to end the inning, striking first by taking a 2-0 lead.
Bottom 3rd
Javier Baez popped up on a 1-2 count for the first out of the inning as Gilbert had 28 pitches at that time of the game.
Carpernter took a big cut at a 1-0 fastball, bringing the count to 1-1 before whiffing on a breaking ball.
After taking two more balls, Carpenter, on a full count, struck out swinging on a slider for the second out and the third strikeout of the game for Gilbert.
Torres singled off Gilbert in the first inning, before connecting on a rocket to left-center off the wall for a double.
With a runner in scoring position, Keith, with the crowd behind, popped out to centerfield to end the inning.
The Tigers fall to a pitiful 10-53 in their five playoff games with runners in scoring position and 3-18 through three games of the ALDS as Seattle got out of the inning.
Top of 4th
Suarez blasted a 422-foot home run to extend their lead to 3-0. It was his first hit of the series.
Hinch left Flaherty in the game one too many innings as Canzone followed up the opening inning homer with a four-pitch walk.
Robles, after fouling away a couple of bunt attempts, struck out on a 3-2 count as Hinch took out Flaherty for right-handed reliever Tommy Kahnle.
Kahnle didn’t do much as Seattle scored another run to go up 4-0 after Raleigh singled to center to bring Canzone home.
There could’ve been more damage but Greene made a sliding catch at leftfield.
Bottom of 4th
Greene struck out swinging while re-enacting something you’d see in a Bugs Bunny cartoon, as the strikeout swing wasn’t even close.
Torkelson flied out to center before McKinstry struck out swinging to end the inning.
His strikeout was worse than Greene’s, as fans were seen with a look of disgust on their faces as both teams entered their dugouts.
Top of 5th
Left-handed pitcher Brant Hurter entered the game to face Polanco, who grounded out Baez for the first out of the inning.
Naylor grounded out to shortstop for the second out of the inning before striking out Suarez to end the inning on nine pitches.
Bottom of 5th
Dingler got hit by a pitch on a 3-2 count before Meadows laid down an unexpected but down the third-base line, which was barehanded by Suarez to Naylor at first for the out.
Baez hit a bloop single over the right fielder’s head with one out to set up fan favorite Carpenter, who was known for coming up clutch in big moments, hence the name “Kerry Bonds.”
With the fans chanting his name, Carpenter hit into a potential double play, but Naylor bobbled the ball to put the Tigers on the scoreboard.
Torres (2-2), trailing 4-1 in his 51st career playoff game on a 3-2 count, hit a check-swing to Naylor, who flipped it to Gilbert for the final out of the inning.
Top of 6th
Robles lined out to Baez on the first pitch before Crawford blasted a solo home run to right field.
The bomb was launched nearly 400 feet for Crawford’s second career postseason home run.
The homerun completely stunned the Comerica Park faithful. As soon as the ball touched his bat, it was known to be a homerun.
Keider Montero entered the game to get the final out of the inning by striking out Arozarena.
Bottom of 6th
The bottom of the sixth played out much the same as the rest, as Keith and Torkelson struck out swinging, while Greene fouled out to third as Gilbert was dealing all night.
Top of 7th
Montero got Raleigh to strike out swinging before Rodriguez grounded out to third base for the second out of the inning.
Polanco walked before Naylor lined out to right field to end the inning.
Bottom of 7th
Mariners manager Dan Wilson decided to call off the dogs by pulling Gilbert after a fine 85-pitch outing against the ugly offense of the Tigers.
Gilbert gave up four hits, one run, one earned run, and seven strikeouts with a 5-1 lead.
In came right-hand relief pitcher Matt Brash, who got McKinstry and Dingler to ground out to shortstop.
Meadows decided to be different and grounded to Naylor as the game reached six outs before Seattle regained homefield advantage and moved one game closer to the American League Championship Series, where the Toronto Blue Jays or Yankees possibly await them.
Top of 8th
Montero opened the top of the eighth with Suarez grounding out to shortstop.
Right Fielder Luke Raley got hit in the leg with one out before Robles hit a line drive to Carpenter, who bobbled the ball off the tip of his glove in right field for a double.
The Tigers are looking like the Bad News Bears on the diamond in their first home game in two weeks.
With men on second and third, Crawford, with one out, popped out to left field, but Raley tagged up and scored to take a 6-1 lead.
Dingler threw out Robles, who tried to steal third base to end the inning, for the only highlight of the Tigers.
Bottom of 8th
Baez came up to the plate to face right-hander Eduard Bazardo, who got him standing still like a window shopper with a fast ball on the corner of the plate.
Carpenter followed suit with jeers from the crowd as he struck out swinging before Torres flied out to right to end the inning.
Top of 9th
Right-handed pitcher Brenan Hanifee followed suit by giving up an Arozarena double to right on the first pitch.
Raleigh homered to left center to extend the lead to 8-1. The ball went 391 feet for his first homerun of the playoffs as the fans chanted “MVP.”
It was the third Mariners home run of the night which just so happened to have landed in the arms of a Big Dumper fan.
Rodriguez flied out to center, followed with Polanco who too flied out to center before Naylor fouled out to third to end the inning.
Bottom of 9th
With all hope lost, Hinch decided to bring in Jake Rogers for Keith who got a pinch-hit single to right on new pitcher Caleb Ferguson.
Pinch hitter Jahmai Jones drew a walk to move Rogers over to second with no outs.
Torkelson ripped a bases clearing double down the right field line to bring the deficit to 8-3 with no outs.
Andy Ibanez pinched hit in the bottom of of the ninth with a man on second trailing by five with no outs.
Ibanez singled to right to draw the deficit to 8-4 with no outs as Wilson brought in Andres Munoz to try to stop the bleeding.
Dingler flied out to left for the first out of the inning.
Meadows hit into a double play as Naylor snared a frozen rope before stepping on first base to end the game.
Series recap
Prior to Game 3, the Tigers took Game 1 in Seattle to steal homefield advantage away from the Mariners behind a 3-2 win in extra innings.
With the game tied 2-2 in the top of the 11th inning, McKinstry hit a line drive up the middle to bring home Torkelson from second base to take the 3-2 lead.
Torkelson opened the top of the inning with a lead-off walk, and then he reached second base after a passed ball got by Raleigh with no outs to put himself in scoring position, setting up McKinstry’s first-pitch go-ahead RBI.
Hinch sent in Montero, who came up clutch as he faced the top of the Mariners order.
In his 13th time taking the mound as a reliever, Montero, with zero saves under his belt, Randy Arozarena hit a 2-2 pitch to McKinstry, who threw him out at first for the first out of the inning.
Raleigh (went 3-4 with three singles prior to his at-bat) stepped into the batter’s box and got jammed by a Montero inside breaking ball, which was popped up to McKinstry in foul ball territory for the second out of the inning.
Rodriguez (2-4 with a solo home run and a single with two RBI) was the Mariners’ offense in Game 1 as he scored both of their runs.
Looking for more magic, Rodriguez took strike one from Montero, who blew a first-pitch fastball north of 95mph down the middle.
He singled on the next pitch to left field for his third hit of the game.
Nayler (0-3 with a walk) stepped up to the plate with the tying run on first base and took a breaking ball down the middle of the plate for strike one.
The former Cleveland Guardians first-baseman fouled the second pitch to take an 0-2 count before sending a rocket down the first base line to Torkelson, who scooped up the ball and tagged first for the final out.
With the victory, the Tigers secured their first postseason extra-inning win since 2012 in Game 1 of the ALCS, 6-4 in 12 innings vs. the New York Yankees.
If you’re wondering how the Tigers got the two runs, those came into play thanks to Carpenter, who blasted a two-run homer to right field against pitcher George Kirby, whom he owns as he is 5-11 with five home runs and 9 RBI.
Troy Melton got the start in Game 1, but Hinch and his pitching chaos used seven relievers combined to finish off the final seven innings to secure the victory.
The Tigers dropped Game 2 behind a stellar performance by Tarik Skubal, who had nine strikeouts but gave up two home runs to Polanco.
Raleigh and Rodriguez hit back-to-back doubles to give the Mariners a 3-2 lead and ultimately tied the series at 1-1 prior to Tuesday victory.
Game 4
First pitch for Game 4 of the ALDS between the Tigers and Mariners dependes on what happens Tuesday night.
If the Yankees, who trail the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 in their series, get swept, the Mariners-Tigers game on Wednesday will be moved into the 7:08 p.m. Eastern Time slot.
If the Yankees win on Tuesday night, the Tigers and Mariners will remain in the 3:08 p.m. ET slot.
Those time contingencies were added to the official playoff schedule on MLB’s site.