McKinstry lifts Tigers over Mariners 3-2 in 11 innings in ALDS opener

Detroit Tigers' Zach McKinstry hits a single to score Spencer Torkelson for the go-ahead run during the 11th inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Detroit Tigers' Zach McKinstry hits a single to score Spencer Torkelson for the go-ahead run during the 11th inning in Game 1 of baseball's American League Division Series against the Seattle Mariners, Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Seattle. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
Share This Article

Zach McKinstry singled home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the 11th inning and the Detroit Tigers outlasted the Seattle Mariners for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of their AL Division Series. Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the fifth for the resurgent Tigers, who squandered a huge lead in the AL Central and nearly collapsed entirely down the stretch before squeezing into the playoffs. After winning their Wild Card Series at division champion Cleveland in a deciding Game 3, they can take a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five matchup against AL West champion Seattle with dominant ace Tarik Skubal on the mound Sunday. In the first extra-inning game of this postseason, McKinstry singled off reliever Carlos Vargas to score Spencer Torkelson from second base.

SEATTLE (AP) — Zach McKinstry singled home the tiebreaking run with two outs in the 11th inning and the Detroit Tigers outlasted the Seattle Mariners for a 3-2 victory in Game 1 of their AL Division Series on Saturday.

Kerry Carpenter hit a two-run homer in the fifth for the resurgent Tigers, who squandered a huge lead in the AL Central and nearly collapsed entirely down the stretch before squeezing into the playoffs.

After winning their Wild Card Series at division champion Cleveland in a deciding Game 3, they can take a commanding 2-0 lead in this best-of-five matchup against AL West champion Seattle with dominant ace Tarik Skubal on the mound Sunday.

In the first extra-inning game of this postseason, McKinstry pounced on the first pitch he saw from reliever Carlos Vargas, a 99.6 mph sinker, and grounded it up the middle to score Spencer Torkelson from second base.

Torkelson, who walked leading off the 11th, advanced to second on a wild pitch by Vargas earlier in the inning.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb