Verlander puts Tigers into ALCS
Print Edition
Justin Verlander maintained his mastery of the Oakland Athletics, pitching brilliantly in a 3-0 win on Thursday that put the visiting Detroit Tigers into the American League championship series for the third year in a row, matching the New York Yankees’ feat from 1998-2001.
Backed by a two-run homer by Miguel Cabrera, Verlander yielded just two hits in eight innings and ran his consecutive scoreless innings streak in the playoffs against Oakland to 32 as Detroit won the deciding Game 5 for a 3-2 victory in their AL division series.
“He was the Verlander of old, he was the MVP and Cy Young (winner) that everybody knows him as,” said Tigers right-fielder Torii Hunter. “He was awesome. When Miguel got that two-run homer, he took it home from there.”
The triumph earned the Tigers a trip to Boston for tomorrow’s start of a best-of-seven against the Red Sox to produce the American League representative in the World Series. The National League Championship Series pits the St Louis Cardinals against the Los Angeles Dodgers beginning today.
Verlander said he and his teammates were determined to get another crack at MLB’s grand prize after being swept in four games in last year’s Fall Classic by the San Francisco Giants. “That’s the motivation that we’ve had all year,” said Verlander. “Everybody here who had a taste of that last year and how much it hurts, it’s that extra driving factor.”
Last year’s Triple Crown winner Cabrera, who had hit only one home run since August as he struggled with injuries, connected in the fourth off A’s rookie starter and loser Sonny Gray with Hunter aboard to give Verlander all the support he would need.
Gray danced with danger from the start with stuff not nearly as crisp as just five nights before when he matched zeros with Verlander in Game 2.
A’s manager Bob Melvin went with Gray over 18-game winner and 40-year-old Bartolo Colon, who yielded three first-inning runs to lose Game 1.
After posting an inconsistent 13-12 mark this season, Verlander has been his familiar, dominant self in the playoffs and retired the first 16 batters he faced before walking Josh Reddick in the sixth. The first hit off the right-hander was a sharp single up the middle by Cuban Yoenis Cespedes with two outs in the seventh.
Verlander had thrown 111 pitches through eight innings before he gave way to closer Joaquin Benoit.
Verlander, who struck out 10 and walked only one, began his streak against Oakland by winning the first and fifth games of last year’s division series, and had a no decision in Game 2 despite throwing seven shutout innings.
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