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SEATTLE – Mitch Haniger put the weight of his team and a city so starving for the playoffs on his shoulders on Saturday, almost single-handedly carrying the Mariners to an epic 6-4 win over the Angels that will ensure Seattle takes his playoff aspirations until the last day of the regular season.
Haniger produced five points, including a decisive single, two outs, two runs and a go-ahead in a full tally that ignited T-Mobile Park in a way that hasn’t been seen for nearly 20 years. Haniger also crushed a burgeoning two-run homerun in the fifth inning that broke a tie 1-1.
Haniger’s heroism has supported a resilient effort from Chris Flexen and the stingy Seattle pen, as the Mariners (90-71) head to their final game on Sunday – though they need the help of the teams ahead of them if they want to play beyond their 162nd game.
The Red Sox and Yankees both occupy the two spots on the American League Wild Card, tied at 91-70, with Boston holding the head-to-head advantage in this game. Toronto (90-71) also won on Saturday and is tied with Seattle as the away teams look out with the Mariners holding the head-to-head advantage.
The craziness of a four-way tie is still at stake, but the Mariners will have to, at the very least, defeat the Halos on Sunday and lose the Yankees or Red Sox to stay there.
Because the best the Mariners can do is match the Red Sox and / or the Yankees – who both have their respective series against Seattle – their best scenario at this point is Game 163 which will be played on Monday. . Where that game takes place would depend on how each of the other three teams fared.
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