0 1 . ▁They ▁would ▁return ▁to ▁the ▁play offs ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁and ▁won ▁their ▁only ▁World ▁Series ▁that ▁year . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁was ▁a ▁ste pping ▁stone ▁in ▁what ▁is ▁widely ▁regarded ▁in ▁Seattle ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁memor able ▁season ▁in ▁Mar in ers ▁franch ise ▁history . ▁Having ▁secured ▁their ▁first ▁ever ▁post season ▁ber th , ▁the ▁Mar in ers ▁went ▁on ▁to ▁play ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Yan ke es ▁in ▁the ▁AL DS . ▁They ▁would ▁defeat ▁the ▁Yan ke es ▁in ▁Game ▁ 5 ▁of ▁the ▁AL DS , ▁on ▁the ▁he els ▁of ▁Ed gar ▁Martínez ' ▁series - win ning ▁double , ▁but ▁ultimately ▁were ▁defeated ▁by ▁the ▁Cleveland ▁Indians ▁in ▁the ▁American ▁League ▁Championship ▁Series , ▁ 4 ▁games ▁to ▁ 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁game ▁marked ▁the ▁beginning ▁of ▁the ▁most ▁successful ▁era ▁in ▁Seattle ▁franch ise ▁history , ▁as ▁they ▁would ▁go ▁on ▁to ▁win ▁AL ▁West ▁division ▁champion ships ▁again ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁and ▁ 2 0 0 1 , ▁and ▁an ▁AL ▁Wild ▁Card ▁ber th ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 0 . ▁However , ▁they ▁failed ▁to ▁reach ▁the ▁World ▁Series ▁each ▁time ▁and ▁remain ▁the ▁only ▁ML B ▁franch ise ▁to ▁never ▁reach ▁the ▁Fall ▁Classic . ▁ ▁Off ▁the ▁field , ▁the ▁Mar in ers ' ▁AL ▁West ▁championship ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁its ▁memor able ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁post season ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁catal yst ▁for ▁public ▁fund ing