SAEDNEWS: Rookie catcher Harry Ford made his presence felt in spectacular fashion Thursday night, delivering a decisive sacrifice fly in the 12th inning that lifted the Seattle Mariners to a 7-6 walk-off victory over the Los Angeles Angels, pulling Seattle into a tie with Houston atop the AL West.
Rookie Harry Ford delivered a pinch-hit sacrifice fly in the bottom of the 12th inning Thursday night, sending the Seattle Mariners to a 7-6 extra-innings victory over the Los Angeles Angels and pushing Seattle into a tie with Houston atop the American League West. The walk-off capped a tense night of big swings and late drama at T-Mobile Park and extended the Mariners’ winning streak to six games.
Seattle jumped on the Angels early, with J.P. Crawford and Julio Rodríguez each driving in two runs in a decisive second inning that put the home side up 4–0. Los Angeles chipped away behind a Logan Davidson homer — his first in the majors — and a long drive by Mike Trout that pulled the Angels even midgame. The clubs traded runs late, and the game remained knotted until Ford’s game-ending sacrifice fly scored Jorge Polanco from third after a leadoff double in the bottom half of the 12th.
Ford, a touted prospect who started the night in a reserve role, brought home the decisive run on a routine fly to right field. The play marked the young infielder/outfielder’s first RBI in four major-league plate appearances and underscored Seattle’s depth at the plate during its current surge.
On the mound, Bryce Miller turned in a strong outing for the Mariners, fanning a career-high 11 batters over 5 2/3 innings and keeping Seattle in position to pull away early. The bullpen then carried the late innings, with José Castillo (2-2) earning the win after navigating the 12th. Sammy Peralta was charged with the loss for the Angels.
The Angels’ comeback was led by veteran Mike Trout, whose 21st homer of the season (reported as his 399th career long ball in several game recaps) cut a 4–0 deficit to 4–2 and helped spark Los Angeles’ rally. Logan Davidson’s first big-league homer also energized the visitors and helped produce a tight, see-saw contest that required extra frames to settle.
J.P. Crawford finished with three RBIs, including a clutch tying single in the 11th inning that kept the game alive before both clubs traded runs and headed to the 12th. Julio Rodríguez’s earlier two-run double set the tone in the second, while Seattle’s timely hitting and depth ultimately made the difference.
The victory moves Seattle into a first-place tie in the AL West, a significant swing in the division race as the calendar turns toward October. It was also the first time a club had played consecutive games lasting at least 12 innings since MLB introduced the automatic extra-innings runner rule in 2020.
Up next, the Angels send lefty Yusei Kikuchi (6-11, 4.18 ERA) to the mound Friday, while the Mariners counter with right-hander Luis Castillo (9-8, 3.85). The two teams will conclude the series at T-Mobile Park with more playoff implications on the line.
