Mariners News
The Mariners’ first series of the playoffs is set. Seattle will host the Detroit Tigers this weekend in the opening two games of the American League Divisional Series.
Detroit beat the Cleveland Guardians 6-3 earlier today in their deciding Game 3 of the Wild Card round to advance. Detroit scored four runs in the seventh inning to propel the win, and Cleveland’s two-run rally in the eighth fell just short. It was a big relief for a Tigers ballclub that fumbled a 10.5 game division lead entering September to the AL Central champion Guardians.
The start time for Game 1 between the Mariners and Tigers on Saturday will depend on who wins tonight’s decisive Game 3 between the Yankees and Red Sox. If the Red Sox win, first pitch will be at 1 pm, but if the Yankees win, the start time will move back to 5:30.
Elsewhere around the majors, the Padres and Cubs are playing for the right to face Milwaukee in the NLDS. The Dodgers beat the Reds last night to secure a meeting with the Phillies on the other side of the National League bracket.
The status of the Mariners’ top starting pitcher remains a mystery heading into the playoffs.
All-Star Bryan Woo threw 15 pitches off the main T-Mobile Park mound this afternoon, two days ahead of the Mariners’ first playoff game. It was the first time he’s thrown from the mound since leaving the M’s Sept. 19th game against the Astros with pectoral tightness.
M’s skipper Dan Wilson says he expects Woo to pitch if the series goes longer than three games. Woo finished his breakout season with 15 wins and a 2.94 ERA while notching the fourth-most quality starts in the league.
The team is expected to announce their starting pitchers for the weekend tomorrow.
NFL News
It’s a matchup of the Seahawks’ top division rivals tonight.
The Los Angeles Rams are hosting the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. The 49ers are coming off their first loss of the season to the Jacksonville Jaguars, while the Rams ended the Colts’ undefeated season with a win last Sunday.
The two teams are tied with the Seahawks for first place in the NFC West, all owning 3-1 records.
Coverage begins at 4:30 and kickoff is at 5:15 on KPUG.
HS Football News
We’ve also got a great high school football matchup on the radio for you tonight. The Sehome Mariners are hosting the Lynden Lions on Thursday Night Football.
Sehome quarterback Nolan Wright is coming off a game where he set the career record for passing touchdowns in Whatcom County. He’ll face a Lions defense that’s hungry for redemption after falling to Anacortes last week in a tight match.
Coverage begins at 6:40 and kickoff is at 7 on KGMI with Randy Farmer and Rick Todd on the call.
Meanwhile, the latest prep football rankings just dropped ahead of Week 5.
Anacortes retained its spot atop Class 2A in the latest AP poll. Lynden stayed put at #2 in the state after losing to the 2x defending champion Seahawks. Sehome rose to #8 ahead of tonight’s matchup against the Lions.
In Class 1A, the undefeated Lynden Christian Lyncs took No. 3, while Mount Baker and Meridian came in at a tie for #7. Nooksack Valley was dropped from the rankings after their loss to #4 ranked 2A powerhouse Tumwater last week.
