Game 1 of the ALDS between the Mariners and Astros looked like it was headed for a Seattle win. They led 7-5 in the ninth, with rookie Jeremy Peña struggling at the plate. But Peña stayed disciplined, laid off some tough pitches, and got on base. That kept the inning alive and brought up Yordan Alvarez, the Astros’ most dangerous hitter. With two outs and two on, the Mariners made a questionable call, pulling their closer Paul Sewald and bringing in starter Robbie Ray, who isn’t used to high-leverage relief. It backfired instantly. Alvarez crushed the second pitch he saw, a middle-middle fastball, into the upper deck for a three-run walk-off homer.
It was the first postseason walk-off ever where the home team was down by more than one. The fans went wild, the bullpen exploded, and Alvarez got mobbed before he even reached first base. Justin Verlander, who had a rough start earlier, was first out to celebrate. Dusty Baker clapped from the dugout. One Mariners fan looked stunned and mouthed something that seemed to sum up the entire shock. Meanwhile, the kid who had been crying moments before was now yelling and jumping in celebration. Houston stole one in dramatic fashion, and Seattle has to figure out how to stop Alvarez if they want a shot in this series.