The Seattle Mariners earned a hard-fought win against the Texas Rangers on Thursday night.
The M’s still haven’t secured their ticket to the postseason, which is why the victory was so important last night.
It took some blood, sweat and tears, but Seattle was able to outlast the Rangers, 10-9, in extras.
The game itself was wild: it had several ties and lead changes.
Down three runs in the seventh, the Rangers scored two in that frame and one more in the eighth to tie the score and send the game to extra innings.
Both squads scored one run in the tenth, so an eleventh inning was necessary.
In the top of the eleventh, Texas scored once again.
But Seattle showed its fighting spirit, the one that injured star Julio Rodriguez referred to in a late night tweet, to come from behind and score two runs and win it.
WE FIGHT!!!!!💙🔥
— Julio Rodriguez🇩🇴🦁 (@JRODshow44) September 30, 2022
Luis Torrens and J.P. Crawford had consecutive RBI singles to help Seattle take the victory.
The Mariners Still Have Things To Play For
Now, as the Baltimore Orioles lost earlier on Thursday, Seattle is 5.5 games ahead of the O’s.
The Mariners are virtually in the playoffs already, but need a couple of additional results to officially seal their ticket.
They still have things to fight for.
The two best records in the American League, the New York Yankees and Houston Astros, will rest in the first round.
To define the two teams that will host the Wild Card series, MLB has the third division winner with no bye (the Cleveland Guardians) and the first Wild Card.
The Toronto Blue Jays are currently in possession of that first Wild Card spot, but the Mariners are a game-and-a-half behind them.
Seattle could still, realistically, host the Wild Card series if they can leapfrog Toronto.
The Mariners will have to keep on fighting.
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