Mariners Walk Off Angels Again, Pull Into Tie for AL West Lead

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SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners are proving that September baseball in the Pacific Northwest can be both nerve-wracking and unforgettable. On Thursday night at T-Mobile Park, the Mariners captured a thrilling 7–6 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in 12 innings, their sixth consecutive win, and in doing so, moved into a tie for first place in the American League West.

For the second straight night, a rookie provided the decisive blow. One day after Leo Rivas’ 13th-inning homer, it was 21-year-old Harry Ford who delivered. In just his fourth career plate appearance, the top prospect lifted a sacrifice fly to right, scoring Jorge Polanco and sending 26,000-plus fans into a frenzy.

“I was just looking for something to hit,” Ford said afterward. “Better to just do it on the first pitch than wait.”

This marks the first time in franchise history the Mariners have won back-to-back games that each extended beyond 12 innings. Beyond the dramatics, the timing couldn’t be more significant: Seattle now sits at 79–68, deadlocked with Houston for both the AL West lead and the final AL Wild Card spot. The Texas Rangers are lurking just two games back, setting up one of the tightest division races in baseball.

Seattle has caught fire at home, winning 17 of its last 20 games at T-Mobile Park since the Trade Deadline. It’s the latest in a season the Mariners have held at least a share of first since their record-setting 2001 campaign.

Manager Dan Wilson, who caught for that 116-win club, understands the weight of the moment:
“That’s what we’re playing for. We’ve got a lot of work to do, but it feels like we’re moving in the right direction.”

Though Ford is still waiting for his first big league hit, Thursday’s sacrifice fly gave him his first career RBI. The Mariners’ first-round pick in 2021, Ford is ranked No. 4 in Seattle’s system and No. 39 overall by MLB Pipeline. He’s been eased into action since rosters expanded earlier this month, but his World Baseball Classic heroics with Team Great Britain in 2023 proved he’s comfortable under pressure.

“It’s been really valuable watching Cal [Raleigh] every day,” Ford said, crediting the veteran catcher for his mentorship.

Seattle’s bullpen once again carried the load. September call-up Luke Jackson and waiver-claim José Castillo each allowed the automatic runner to score in extras, but both prevented further damage. Remarkably, the Mariners’ relievers own a 0.00 ERA across 22 2/3 innings during this homestand.

Wilson used nearly his entire staff in the victory, underscoring how complete the team effort has become. “This was a top-to-bottom team win,” he said.