Seattle Got a Serious Shot in the Arm with their Dramatic Game 5 Victory
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Down 2-1 late in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series, Mariners fans likely had a deep, hollow feeling inside. It appeared that the Blue Jays were about to take three straight in Seattle, which would put them in perfect position for the final two games in Toronto.
That's when Seattle snapped back, like they have all year long. AL MVP candidate Cal Raleigh hit a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth inning to tie the ballgame. Suddenly, Seattle had a second wind, with some of their biggest bats coming to the plate.
“When I hit the ball, I thought I got it, and then obviously realized it went so high,” Raleigh said. “So [with] the roof open, maybe it’s a different result -- I don't know. But I’m glad I got enough of that one.”
Third baseman Eugenio Suarez capped the night off by hitting a grand slam that gave Seattle the lead for good. Closer Andres Munoz finished off Toronto in the ninth to secure the win. Now with a 3-2 series lead, the M's return to Toronto just one win away from the World Series and (no doubt) feeling a lot less pressure. The team celebrated during the postgame, but continued to remind the media and each other that the work wasn't over yet.
"I've been dreaming for this moment since I was a kid."
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) October 18, 2025
Eugenio Suárez joined @jonmorosi to talk about his game-winning grand slam, what Cal Raleigh told him before his at-bat and more. #SeizeTheMoment | @Mariners pic.twitter.com/0uqF12TnBW
“For our fans, they’ve been waiting a long time for this moment, and we’re here to give it to them. We’re here to fight for a World Series,” Suárez said following the game.
“I have a good amount of beautiful moments in my career, but today is something else. To hit that grand slam and help my team win a big game here in front of our fans, they have been waiting for a long time. I’ve been waiting for this moment my whole career.”
The Mariners Never Back Down
The Mariners seem to be most at home when they are facing adversity. Facing long odds to catch the Houston Astros in the AL West, they not only captured the flag but effectively knocked their rivals out of the postseason. They dominated in the month of September, and they were riding a wave of emotion and momentum heading into the postseason.
But it only gets harder in the postseason, and scrappy Seattle had to go five games to eliminate the Tigers in the Division Series. Well, it was actually a little more than five games. The final contest between the Mariners and Detroit went 15 hard-fought innings.
From there, the team took the first two games of the ALCS. But before they could just close things out, they had to face some adversity. It's the Mariners' way: Fall back, only to come out victorious against all odds. That's a sign that they refuse to lose, and they typically display a flair for the dramatic. While that may leave some of their fans guzzling Pepto Bismol from time to time, but for this team? It's all just part of one of the most unique seasons in franchise history.
“To be honest, we dodged a lot of bullets today,” Raleigh admitted after the Game 5 nail-biter. “It’s what you’ve got to do.”
