ALDS Game 4: Tigers Rally to Force Decisive Game 5 with Impressive 9-3 Victory Over Mariners October 8 2025
Game Summary
In a season-saving performance, the Detroit Tigers defeated the Seattle Mariners 9-3 on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, at Comerica Park to even the American League Division Series at two games apiece. The Tigers’ bats finally came alive at home, scoring their most runs in a postseason game since the 1968 World Series.
Starting Pitchers
The Tigers sent Casey Mize to the mound, who allowed just one run while striking out six batters through three innings but required 54 pitches to do so. For Seattle, Bryce Miller took the start and was effective early, having not allowed a run to Detroit in 23 1/3 innings before finally surrendering runs in the fifth inning of this contest.
Game Flow
Seattle built an early 3-0 lead through the first five innings. Dominic Canzone singled in the second inning to score Josh Naylor for the first run. Victor Robles grounded into a double play in the fourth that allowed Naylor to score again, and Cal Raleigh’s single in the fifth brought home Randy Arozarena to push the lead to 3-0.
The Tigers’ offense exploded in the fifth inning, scoring three runs to tie the game. Dillon Dingler doubled to bring in Zach McKinstry, followed by a pinch-hit double from Jahmai Jones and a game-tying single from Javier Báez.
Detroit seized control with a four-run sixth inning, highlighted by Riley Greene’s mammoth 454-foot home run off reliever Gabe Speier. Báez added a two-run homer in the same inning, putting an exclamation point on the Tigers’ comeback.
Standout Performances
Troy Melton (Tigers)
After a Game 1 start, Melton delivered a clutch relief performance, pitching three scoreless innings to earn the win. He allowed just two hits while striking out three batters and issuing one walk.
Javier Báez (Tigers)
The often-criticized shortstop silenced the doubters with a monster game, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBIs. His single in the fifth tied the game, and his homer in the sixth helped break it open.
Riley Greene (Tigers)
Greene’s 454-foot home run in the sixth inning gave Detroit its first lead and energized both the team and the crowd. It was the second-longest home run of Greene’s career and his first postseason homer.
Josh Naylor (Mariners)
Despite the loss, Naylor had an excellent game, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Comerica Park Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Comerica Park shifted dramatically throughout the game. The crowd of 37,069 fans was tense and frustrated early, with audible boos directed at the Tigers as they fell behind 3-0. As Báez noted after the game, “I’ve heard boos my whole career, so I don’t mind them. That’s just showing the passion of our fans.”
However, the mood transformed completely during the fifth-inning rally, and the stadium erupted when Greene’s home run gave Detroit the lead in the sixth. It was the Tigers’ first win at Comerica Park in over a month, having gone 0-8 at home since September 6.
What’s Next
The decisive Game 5 will take place on Friday in Seattle, featuring a premier pitching matchup between Detroit’s ace Tarik Skubal and Seattle’s George Kirby. Tigers manager A.J. Hinch expressed confidence after the game, saying, “One of the easiest and most exciting things I get to do is hand the ball to the best pitcher in baseball. We’re getting on a plane across the country with a lot of optimism because of Tarik Skubal.”
The winner will advance to the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Photos: Glenn Gervais – In Play! magazine
