The Seattle Mariners edged out the Detroit Tigers in 15 innings to advance to the American League Championship Series on Friday.
With the game tied 2-2 in the 12th inning, Seattle gave the ball to former Red Sox pitcher Eduard Bazardo. The Tigers had runners on first and second with nobody out, and Bazardo got out of it.
The right-hander went 2.2 scoreless innings and struck out four while allowing one hit. He also issued one intentional walk.
“He’s been pitching awesome all year. It’s good that he had the opportunity to do that and he did great,” said closer Andrés Muñoz about Bazardo after the game on Friday, via Seattle Times.
Bazardo signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent in 2014 out of Venezuela for $8,000. Bazardo appeared in 14 games as a Red Sox in the 2021 and 2022 seasons. Following the 2022 season, Boston designated him for assignment. After he cleared waivers, he elected free agency and signed with the Baltimore Orioles.
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The Mariners ended up walking off the Tigers with a Jorge Polanco single with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the 15th.
“It takes everybody in a game like this,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said postgame. “And we had a lot of opportunities in the extra innings and just weren’t able to get over the hump. But huge contributions, whether it was a hit by pitch, a walk, getting on base, doing something special to put the pressure on there.
“And Polo with a huge at-bat there to get the game winner. Again, you can’t say enough about the effort these guys put on the fight. You know, we’ve talked about the fight all year long. To go 15 innings tonight, 15 rounds, so to speak, and to come out on top, that sure feels good.”
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Seattle will face the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS. Game 1 is on Sunday in Toronto.
