This time the Mariners didn't let George Kirby face Kerry Carpenter. And it didn't matter one bit.

After Javier Báez doubled in the sixth inning, getting safely into second with a nifty slide, Seattle manager Dan Wilson opted to take his starter out of the game in a one-run game with Carpenter coming to the plate. The reason? Carpenter has absolutely owned Kirby, with five homers against him, and he already had two hits against him on Friday night in ALDS Game 5.

In came left-handed reliever Gabe Speier, but Carpenter was unfazed. On a 1-0 pitch, Carpenter roped a 95.4 mph fastball 411 feet to deep center field, putting the Tigers ahead and silencing a previously raucous T-Mobile Park.

See Full Page