ALCS GM 5 - GDT: 10/13/11 - DET (1-3) VS TEX (3-1) - 4:19 p.m. ---
VS ---
Detroit Tigers VS Texas RangersThursday, October 13
Comerica Park, Detroit MI
Game Time - 4:19 p.m. EDT REMEMBERING SPARKYThe Tigers are wearing a patch on their right
sleeves this season in the shape of a home
plate emblazoned with the name SPARKY, to
honor Hall of Fame manager Sparky
Anderson who passed away on November 4,
2010. Anderson’s number 11 was retired
in a pre-game ceremony on June 26.
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Preview Tigers pin ALCS hopes on ace in Game 5 vs. RangersBy Bryan Hoch / MLB.com | 10/13/2011 1:25 AM ET
DETROIT -- Justin Verlander's stride was purposeful as he exited Comerica Park the night before Game 5 of the American League Championship Series, not knowing his start will come with the Tigers fighting for their playoff lives on Thursday.
Verlander could have been smarting from the four-run Texas 11th inning he'd witnessed, with Mike Napoli and Nelson Cruz contributing the big hits. Or, as Verlander remarked before the game, maybe he was just looking ahead to his ritual dinner of fast-food tacos.
Most likely, as he navigated that concrete walkway, Verlander's thoughts were with how to contain a Rangers club ready to punch back-to-back World Series tickets after the franchise went 49 years without reaching a single Fall Classic.
"We can count -- I know what the situation is," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland, whose team trails 3-1 in the best-of-seven ALCS. "You wouldn't rather have anybody out there other than Justin Verlander."
The Rangers might beg to differ, hoping their next home game comes with the World Series logo painted on the field in Arlington. A victory on Thursday would make that dream a reality.
"It's been a great series," Texas catcher Mike Napoli said. "If you don't like baseball, you probably like it now watching these games. We expected a tough series, and we've been able to come out on top. It's been fun."
This marks the 19th time since the advent of the best-of-seven format in 1985 that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the ALCS. Only four have not advanced to the World Series: the '85 Blue Jays, the '86 Angels, the 2004 Yankees and the '07 Indians.
C.J. Wilson comes back as the other half of the reprise pitching matchup from Game 1, and while no one is taking a nickel away from Verlander's sensational 24-win season, Texas has confidence it can topple the likely AL Cy Young Award winner.
"I'm sure they have a ton of confidence in Justin Verlander, as they should," said the Rangers' Michael Young. "But we have a ton of confidence in C.J. Wilson. ... It's been a pitching-dominated series, and we expect that the whole way."
Well, Texas also has a not-so-secret weapon in Cruz; the slugging outfielder now has nine RBIs in 14 ALCS at-bats, pummeling a three-run homer off Tigers closer Jose Valverde in the 11th inning of Game 4 that mashed the Big Potato on Wednesday.
"For you guys that haven't seen Nelson every day, he's capable of doing exactly what he's doing," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "I'm just happy that we, as the Texas Rangers, are reaping the benefit of it."
Verlander laughed that there must be rain in the forecast for Game 5, and he's correct. But both he and Wilson plan to be prepared for anything, after their Game 1 starts were interrupted by Texas precipitation in this series.
"I've worked real hard to be strong this time of year, and I feel like I do," said Verlander, who allowed three runs over four innings in his Game 1 loss. "I've done everything I can possibly do to get myself prepared. Now it's a matter of going out there and doing it."
Wilson, meanwhile, is looking to get into a rhythm of his own and craft the kind of signature moment that would look awfully good on a free-agent-to-be's calling card -- not that he has time to think about that now.
"The reality is, we're playing against the best team right now in the American League besides ourselves," said Wilson, who took a no-decision with 4 2/3 innings of two-run ball in Game 1. "You have to make them work."
Leyland offered some hope that Verlander, who pitched four complete games this season -- one against Texas -- might go deep into the bullpen, offering Joaquin Benoit and Valverde a little time off.
"They're pitching on fumes and heart," Leyland said.
And the Tigers need their fans to be the 10th man. There was a moment this week that Brandon Inge noted to Miguel Cabrera that the faithful seemed to be down, deflated by the Rangers' good fortune and solid play.
"Me, Miggy and a couple other guys, we look over and we were like, 'Man, these guys are dead tonight,'" Inge recalled. "A lot of people in the house, too. ... I almost felt like it was a sense of panic, a little bit."
That changed, as the Tigers won Game 3 and carried the Game 4 thriller into extra innings. Now, Inge is hoping that cracking a game-tying homer off Alexi Ogando -- the previous owner of 6 1/3 scoreless, dominant frames this postseason -- might have some carryover.
"Getting to him, maybe I thought the guys would think we'd have a little edge -- if we can get to him, we can get to anyone," Inge said.
Anything helps. Detroit is well aware of its uphill situation, but it also had 15 winning streaks of three games or more in 2011. No one said it was going to be easy.
"We couldn't be in a happier situation right now," Tigers outfielder Ryan Raburn said. "Of course, we're disappointed we're not winning, but this team is playing their hearts out right now."
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Pitching matchup
Tigers: RHP Justin Verlander (0-1, 6.75 ERA)The Tigers will keep Verlander on regular rest after two rain delays shortened his Game 1 outing to four innings of three-run ball over 82 pitches. He beat the Yankees at Comerica Park last week in the American League Division Series.
Rangers: LHP C.J. Wilson (0-0, 3.86 ERA)Wilson allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings in his Game 1 start and is now 1-3 with a 4.76 ERA in six postseason starts. He has made just one regular-season start vs. the Tigers in the past two years, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings on April 12.
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Tiger's MLB Game Notes
Game InformationINJURY UPDATE: •
OF Magglio Ordonez (re-fracture of his right ankle at the site that was previously surgically repaired,
15-day disabled list? on October 10).
•
OF Brennan Boesch (right thumb surgery,
15-day disabled list on September 9).
•
RHP Joel Zumaya (right elbow olecranon fracture surgery,
60-day disabled list on March 30).
•
LHP Brad Thomas (left elbow inflammation,
60-day DL on May 11)
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To track MLB play-by-play, to help post GDT outcomes: http://m.mlb.com/scores/
On the Internet MLB.TV
Gameday Audio
• Gameday
• Official Press Pass game notes
On television•
• Direct TV Extra Innings Schedule
On radio•
,
• XM Channel Schedule
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Up next (Probable Pitchers)
• Friday, October 14: ALCS PLAYOFFS OFFDAY
• Saturday, October 15: ALCS PLAYOFFS* Tigers (RHP
Max Scherzer (0-0, -.-- ERA))
AT Rangers (LHP
Derek Holland (0-0, -.-- ERA)),
8:05 p.m. ET (FOX / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)• Sunday, October 16: ALCS PLAYOFFS* Tigers (RHP
Doug Fister (0-0, -.-- ERA))
AT Rangers (RHP
Colby Lewis (0-0, -.-- ERA)),
8:05 p.m. ET (FOX / WXYT 97.1 FM & 1270 AM)