Kevin McGonigle's clutch hit with 2 outs in 9th rallies Tigers to 5-4 win over Mariners
Detroit Tigers' Wenceel Pérez celebrates as he slides across home plate with the game-winning run against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
DETROIT — Kevin McGonigle homered in the fourth inning and hit a two-run single off All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz with two outs in the bottom of the ninth that gave the Detroit Tigers a 5-4 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Sunday.
Wenceel Pérez tripled home two runs in the seventh to begin Detroit's comeback from a 4-1 deficit as the Tigers took two of three games in the series.
Muñoz (3-4) struck out Spencer Torkelson to start the ninth, then walked Zach McKinstry and Pérez. Both advanced on Matt Vierling's groundout before McGonigle lined a single off the glove of leaping second baseman Cole Young to give Detroit its fifth victory in six games.
Will Vest (2-4) pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Seattle wasted a strong start from Luis Castillo, who left with a 3-1 lead after yielding three hits in 5 2/3 innings. The veteran right-hander's only blemish was McGonigle's fourth homer — a 420-foot shot leading off the fourth that tied it at 1.
Colt Emerson doubled off Tigers starter Jack Flaherty to begin the third before scoring on Young's one-out single to put Seattle up 1-0.
Julio Rodríguez singled and scored on a double by Josh Naylor for a 2-1 lead in the sixth. Flaherty left after walking Randy Arozarena. The right-hander allowed three runs and six hits in five-plus innings.
Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle, right, celebrates with his teammates Zach McKinstry, left, and Zack Short, center, after hitting a two-run walk-off single against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
Drew Sommers relieved Flaherty and hit Emerson with a bases-loaded pitch to make it 3-1. Kyle Finnegan entered and retired Jhonny Peralta on a lineout to center field to end the inning.
Rodríguez walked with one out in the seventh, stole second and third, and scored on Arozarena’s two-out single off Finnegan for a 4-1 lead.
Mariners reliever Cooper Criswell gave up Pérez's two-run triple in the bottom of the seventh and failed to get an out. Gabe Speier retired Vierling on a pinch-hit grounder to third, and McGonigle on a shallow fly to left before striking out Gleyber Torres to keep it 4-3.
Seattle had homered in nine straight games.
Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle, third from left, celebrates with his teammates Spencer Torkelson, center right, and Matt Vierling, right, after hitting a two-run walk-off single against the Seattle Mariners in the ninth inning of a baseball game, Sunday, June 7, 2026, in Detroit. Credit: AP/Lon Horwedel
Up next
Mariners RHP Emerson Hancock (4-2, 2.80 ERA) starts Monday in Baltimore to begin a four-game series with the Orioles, who had not announced a starting pitcher.
Tigers RHP Troy Melton (2-0, 1.74 ERA) pitches Tuesday to open a three-game series with the visiting Twins, who will start RHP Taj Bradley (5-2, 3.56).
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