Mariners Win Marathon; Hinch Defends Skubal Exit | JQJO

Detroit’s season ended in a 15-inning, 3-2 gut punch in Seattle, where manager AJ Hinch said it was an “easy decision” to pull ace Tarik Skubal after six dominant innings. Skubal allowed one run on two hits and struck out 13 — a winner-take-all record — before exiting at 99 pitches; Seattle tied it in the seventh and won on Jorge Polanco’s walk-off. Hinch, citing an emptied tank, used seven relievers who yielded two earned runs over nine innings. The Mariners advance to their first ALCS since 2001, facing the Blue Jays on Sunday at Rogers Centre.