Seattle heats up for Game 5: M’s flag raised, local business booms, and rival fans fight over hot dog condiments

The Seattle Mariners beat the Detroit Tigers 3-2 in 15 innings to clinch the team’s first American League Championship Series (ALCS) appearance since 2001.

The Mariners, who are the No. 2 seed in the AL, now head to Toronto to take on the top-seeded, AL East champion Blue Jays beginning with Game 1 Sunday.

KIRO Newsradio was able to gain access to the ballpark ahead of Game 5.

“I’m standing on the warning track right in front of the Mariners’ dugout,” KIRO Newsradio reporter Luke Duecy said. “The lights are on here at T-Mobile Park before the game, and the field looks magnificent. What a Game 5 it’s going to be.”

Playoff baseball great for local business

The playoffs have been great for sports fans, and really good for businesses around T-Mobile Park, Lumen Field, and Climate Pledge Arena as the Seattle Kraken opened its season Thursday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Marriana, a manager at Agave Cocina and Tequila, located right next to Climate Pledge, told KIRO Newsradio they love hockey season and they really love when the Kraken and the Mariners play at the same time.

“It’s usually two hours before when we get super busy,” Marriana said. “We have a way to try to get as many people as we can, and then we usually get business as well once the event ends.”

Janae, who works at Woo Bar and Kitchen, shared the same sentiment.

“My boss is the owner. They love it. They’re very happy about it,” Janae told KIRO Newsradio. “Everyone who works at night loves game night, like that’s when they want to work. It’s fun, it’s fast-paced, it’s good money.”

Seattle mayor raises flag in support

Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell raised the Mariners flag at City Hall to honor the team’s postseason run.

Friday’s Game 5 win against the Detroit Tigers sends the M’s to the American League Championship Series (ALCS) against the Toronto Blue Jays.

The flag at City Hall was raised at 10 a.m. Friday.

Sports psychologist shares advice ahead of Game 5

If fans are nervous ahead of the do-or-die game, here’s some advice from a renowned sports psychologist, Dr. Daniel Juan.

“Don’t get so caught up in the outcome that you forget to enjoy the game,” Juan shared. “Each pitch is going to be fun if you let it be fun.”

Detroit Tigers fans reject Seattle dog

M’s fans thought it was just a rumor that Detroit loves ketchup, but ketchup is the only thing many Tigers fans will put on their hot dogs.

“Always ketchup,” one Tigers fan in Seattle said. “Hot dogs are good with ketchup.”

“Everyone knows mustard goes better, or cream cheese and onions, a Seattle dog,” Duecy argued.

“No one would put cream cheese or onions on a hot dog,” the fan countered. “Not in Detroit.”

Duecy advised T-Mobile Park to hide its ketchup throughout the stadium.

Detroit’s obsession with ketchup is so intense that one vendor at Comerica Park, Charley Marcuse, famously refused to serve hot dogs with ketchup and eventually lost his job over it.

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