After a long 15-inning game between the Detroit Tigers and the Seattle Mariners, the home team came out on top, as Seattle clinched their first ALCS berth since 2001.
The Tigers lost 3-2 and couldn't overcome their lack of offense for the majority of the game. However, one Tigers hitter was outperforming the rest of his team. Kerry Carpenter, the Tigers' right fielder and leadoff hitter, made some MLB history in the process of trying to keep the Tigers alive in the ALDS.
According to OptaSTATS on Twitter/X, Carpenter's day, which included reaching base five times to go with a home run in a winner-takes-all postseason game, joined MLB legend Babe Ruth as the only players to have such a stat-line in such an important game in MLB history.
Kerry Carpenter joins Babe Ruth in MLB postseason history
"Kerry Carpenter is the first MLB player to reach base five times and hit a home run in a winner-take-all postseason game since Babe Ruth in 1926 (World Series Game 7)." OptaSTATS shared on social media.
With the Tigers and Mariners heading deep into extra innings, Carpenter got the most plate appearances of any player on the Tigers. In his seven plate appearances, he had four hits and two walks, meaning that he surpassed Ruth's performance from 1926.
Ruth, in five plate appearances, had four walks to go with a solo home run in a 3-2 loss. Ironically, Carpenter, who also had such a clutch performance, also saw his team lose 3-2.
While Ruth reached base every time he came to the plate, he managed only one hit, and it was a solo home run. Carpenter's homer was a two-run shot to give the Tigers a 2-1 lead. Adding on his three other hits, Carpenter's performance was arguably better than Ruth's.
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The 28-year-old Mariners outfielder had a remarkable postseason game, and overall in October, had a .910 OPS in eight games for Detroit. With his two-run home run coming off a left-handed pitcher, Carpenter wasn't just clutch; he did so in a tough situation.
He played in 130 games this season with 109 hits, 18 doubles, 26 home runs, and 62 RBIs. After his heroic performance in Game 5, Carpenter should be a focal point of the Tigers' team going forward.
Of the Tigers' eight hits in 15 innings of baseball, Carpenter had half to go with the only two RBIs of the game for Detroit. His two walks were also half of the Tigers' four total walks on Friday night's instant classic.
While the Tigers came up short, the Carpenters' performance was a historic one, as he joined one of the most legendary players in Babe Ruth for such a performance in a winner-takes-all postseason game.
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