Julio Rodríguez lifts Mariners over
Tigers 3-2, Seattle takes Game 2 of ALDS to even series
[October 06, 2025]
By DOUG MILLER
SEATTLE (AP) — Julio Rodríguez came through in a big moment for the
Seattle Mariners.
Rodríguez hit a tiebreaking RBI double in the eighth inning and the
Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in Game 2 of their AL Division
Series on Sunday to even the series.
With the game knotted at 2-2 and one out in the bottom of the eighth
inning, AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh doubled with one out. Shortly
after, Rodríguez doubled home Raleigh to put the Mariners in front
for good.
“In games like this, I feel like any situation is clutch,” said
Rodríguez, who has recorded an extra-base hit in a franchise-record
five consecutive postseason games and has six extra-base hits in his
first seven career playoff games.
“I feel like the biggest pride I take is helping the team win. In
any situation that I can, I feel like that’s what makes me feel
good. And listen, if they want to say that I’m clutch, too, okay.
Cool. So be it.”
Closer Andrès Muñoz retired the Tigers in order for the save one
night after throwing two innings in a 3-2 loss in 11 innings.
Jorge Polanco homered twice for Seattle.
After going scoreless against Seattle starter Luis Castillo and
three Mariners relievers, the Tigers tied the game against Matt
Brash in the top of the eighth.
Gleyber Torres worked a leadoff walk, and Riley Greene reached on a
fielder’s choice that was misfielded by Seattle first baseman Josh
Naylor for an error. Spencer Torkelson followed up with a double
into the right-field corner to tie the score at 2-2.
Seattle regained the lead in the bottom of the inning.
Raleigh, who led the majors in home runs this season with 60, lined
Kyle Finnegan's pitch into the right-field corner and slid headfirst
into second base. Rodríguez followed with a double of his own,
sending the sellout crowd of 47,431 at T-Mobile Park into a frenzy.
“I give our guys a ton of credit,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said.
“Number one, this was a bounce-back game for us, and they did just
that. And to lose the lead late like that and to come right back and
score a run was huge. I thought those at-bats by Julio and Cal were
tremendous and just a huge momentum shift back to our dugout.”
Polanco got the Mariners on the board with a one-out solo homer over
the wall in left center field in the bottom of the fourth inning. He
added another one off reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal
with two outs in the sixth.
[to top of second column] |
Seattle Mariners' Julio Rodriguez reacts after hitting a double to
score Cal Raleigh for the go-ahead run during the eighth inning in
Game 2 of baseball's American League Division Series against the
Detroit Tigers, Sunday, Oct. 5, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey
Wasson)
Polanco became the fourth Mariners player with a
multi-homer game in the postseason, joining Ken Griffey Jr., Edgar
Martinez and Jay Buhner, who all accomplished the feat in 1995.
“I just had a good approach,” said Polanco, who added a single in
the eighth and finished 3 for 4. “I stayed through the middle so I
could recognize the secondary stuff. Like I said, just put a good
swing on it.”
Skubal, who struck out 14 batters to set the AL record for most
strikeouts in a postseason game by a left-handed starter while
beating Cleveland in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, fanned nine
across seven innings on Sunday. He limited the Mariners to five hits
and walked one.
“His stuff was good,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said of Skubal.
“Polanco … hits the homer and hit another homer. You know, you don’t
see the same guy get good swings against Tarik very often.
“But all in all, he did a tremendous job of keeping us in the game
and keeping it right where it was.”
Castillo, meanwhile, maneuvered through 4 2/3 scoreless innings. In
the fifth, he surrendered his first hit of the game, a two-out
single by Gleyber Torres that put runners on the corners. But
left-hander Gabe Speier was summoned to face Game 1 hero Kerry
Carpenter and struck him out to end the inning.
Castillo now has a 1.49 career postseason ERA, having given up four
earned runs and 18 hits in 24 1/3 innings while striking out 22 and
walking five.
“Just a great ballgame from Rock,” Wilson said of Castillo. “And at
a time when we really needed it. It seems like he’s done that all
along.
“And down the stretch we had some big wins where he kind of stepped
up, and tonight was another opportunity for him, and he did exactly
what we needed him to do.”
Up next
RHP Logan Gilbert starts for Seattle in Game 3 against Tigers RHP
Jack Flaherty. Gilbert has one game of postseason experience, having
lost Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS against the Astros in Houston. Flaherty
is 5-3 with a 5.05 ERA in 11 postseason games.
All contents © copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved |
