Title: Verlander Delivers; Detroit Tigers One Win From World Series Source:
[None] URL Source:http://www.usatoday.com/story/sport ... s-yankees-alcs-game-3/1637929/ Published:Oct 16, 2012 Author:http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb Post Date:2012-10-17 00:00:33 by Brian S Keywords:None Views:3305 Comments:4
DETROIT -- Pit a nearly untouchable pitching staff against a slumbering offense and it is a recipe for a sweep.
The pitching-rich Tigers are on the verge of sweeping the struggling New York Yankees right out of the postseason after Justin Verlander allowed just one run on three hits over 8 1/3 innings to lead Detroit to a 2-1 victory Tuesday night in Game 3 of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park.
BOX SCORE: Tigers 2, Yankees 1
The Tigers could finish the best-of-seven series Wednesday and win their first AL pennant since 2006 when Max Scherzer faces Yankees ace CC Sabathia in Game 4 at 8:07 p.m. ET.
Tigers starting pitchers combined to pitch 21 1/3 shutout innings in the ALCS until Eduardo Nunez's solo home run to lead off the top of the ninth inning. In eight postseason games, the rotation combined for a microscopic 0.96 ERA.
Verlander wasn't overpowering as he had just three strikeouts. Yet he was dominant from the start again, retiring the first 10 batters he faced.
"I was able to make big pitches when I had to and the defense played well behind me," said Verlander.
Verlander is 9-0 with a 1.49 ERA in his last 11 home starts. His last loss in Detroit came more than three months ago when the Yankees beat him on June 3.
Yankees starter Phil Hughes left the game in the fourth inning with stiffness in his back two batters after giving up Delmon Young's leadoff home run, a liner to left, to open the scoring.
The Tigers made it 2-0 in the fifth when AL Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera doubled home rookie Quintin Berry, who reached on third baseman Eric Chavez's fielding error then stole second base.
The Yankees' team-wide slump continued as they have scored just 21 runs in eight postseason games.
Robinson Cano is 3-for-36 (.083) in the postseason while Curtis Granderson is 3-for-29 (.107), Alex Rodriguez is 3-for-23 (.130), Nick Swisher is 4-for-26 (.154) and Russell Martin is 5-for-28.
Together, they are hitting .120 (17-for-142) and Rodriguez and Swisher were on the bench for Game 3 as Yankees manager Joe Girardi tried to find a winning lineup combination.
Coke did a pretty good job of closing it for the Tigers, even though he gave up those two hits in the 9th.
I'm glad to see that Leyland decided not to use Valverde - Papa Grande is still a great closer, but I think his confidence has been shaken after his last two appearances.
With Scherzer on the mound tonight, I have a feeling they'll close out the series with a sweep.
Tigers' hitting from their big guns hasn't been what I had expected so far, hopefully Cabrera and Fielder will finally start getting some big hits.
