Seattle Mariners strike first in ALDS Game 3 vs. Tigers

The Seattle Mariners struck first in their crucial Game 3 contest against the Detroit Tigers in the American League Division Series.

After forcing Tigers starter Jack Flaherty to throw 29 pitches in the second inning, the M’s switched to the right-hander for two runs in the third and one more in the fourth.

Passan: Julio and Cal meet the moment for ALDS sailors

Victor Robles started things off with some chaos on the base paths.

Robles connected a curveball for a double to left field. JP Crawford hit a two-strike single to left-center field in the next at-bat, but Robles was held at third after having to wait to see if the hit would land. However, left fielder Riley Greene’s throw to home plate skipped catcher Dillon Dingler’s glove, giving Robles just enough time to sprint home and beat Flaherty’s dismissal to home plate with a feet-first slide.

Detroit contested the call on the field, but it was upheld as Robles just beat Dingler’s tag.

Randy Arozarena followed with an RBI single to give Crawford a 2-0 lead.

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Josh Naylor nearly gave the Mariners a five-run lead with a long flyball to right-center field with two outs and two out, but it wasn’t enough and was caught on the warning track.

Eugenio Suárez added in the first at-bat of the fourth, crushing a 422-foot solo homer to left field for his first hit of the postseason and a 3-0 lead. Detroit retired Flaherty two batters later after allowing a walk and recording an out.

After Flaherty was pulled, Cal Raleigh scored another run to make the score 4–0 and make the Mariners the first team in the series to score more than three runs in a game.

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The Mariners have now scored the first point in all three games of the series. Julio Rodríguez opened the scoring with a solo homer in the fourth inning of Game 1. Jorge Polanco’s solo homer in the fourth provided the first run of Game 2.

Seattle and Detroit entered the best-of-five ALDS tied 1-1 on Wednesday. Thursday’s Game 4 will begin at 12:08 p.m. if the Yankees beat the Blue Jays in their Game 3 ALDS matchup on Tuesday night. If the Yankees lose, they will be eliminated and the Mariners-Tigers game will take place at 4:08 p.m.

Learn more about the Seattle Mariners

• Former Mariner Montero reportedly in critical condition after car crash
• Passan: Julio and Cal meet the moment for ALDS sailors
• ALDS Game 3 Lineups: Josh Naylor Plays for Mariners
• Why Jon Morosi always predicts the Mariners will win the ALDS
• Drayer: Seattle Mariners show they have a valuable asset for October

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