Rays/MLB

A hunch has Tigers in command

TIGERS 8, A'S 5: Reserve Alexis Gomez is a surprising star as Detroit heads home with a 2-0 lead in ALCS.

By MARC TOPKIN
Published October 12, 2006

OAKLAND, Calif. - The way the Detroit Tigers stumbled at the end of the season, there was some question if they even belonged in the playoffs.

Now the more appropriate question is whether they will be stopped.

The Tigers continued their impressive roll Wednesday night with a decisive 8-5 win over the A's and headed home with a two games to none lead in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. Temperatures in the 30s and snow are forecast for the weekend in Detroit, and that might be the only thing to cool off the Tigers.

They are pitching with incredible confidence, hitting with stunning success and winning with remarkable regularity - five straight playoff games. And they have history on their side: Eight previous teams have won the first two games of a best-of-seven championship series on the road, and all have advanced to the World Series.

"We're doing the things we need to do to win," catcher Ivan Rodriguez said.

That starts with manager Jim Leyland, who continues to make all the right moves. Wednesday, Leyland decides to start little-used Alexis Gomez - whom the Tigers twice during the season designated for assignment, meaning he was available to all teams on waivers - and all Gomez did was hit a two-run go-ahead single and add a two-run homer.

"Leyland played a 99-1 shot and it came in," cracked Fox analyst Lou Piniella.

Gomez, who also has the notation of being waived by the Royals, said he just wanted to do his part: "I tried to do my best and help my team, and that's what happened tonight."

"I just thought that it might be a decent matchup," Leyland said. "He's got big-time power. Unfortunately, he showed most of it in batting practice. I guess I can kid about it now. I told him it was a 5 o'clock game (on the West Coast) and that's when you hit most of your home runs normally, so I'm going to play you tonight. He came through pretty big."

Leyland has the Tigers not only playing well, but believing, which can be just as important.

"We just know that when Jim puts the nine out there, it's the right nine," closer Todd Jones said. "He has a reason."

The Tigers have also been playing as a team. The offense, even without Sean Casey, who could be out for the rest of the postseason with a calf injury, has been diverse and deep, and well-prepared. "It's tough at-bats," Placido Polanco said. "More concentration. We're not giving up any at-bats."

What rookie starter Justin Verlander couldn't finish, the bullpen did, and that was without flamethrowing Joel Zumaya, who was unavailable due to a forearm strain. Wilfredo Ledezma, Jason Grilli, Fernando Rodney and Jones - who got Frank Thomas to pop up with the bases loaded in the ninth for the final out - teamed for 3²/₃ solid innings. In the process they tied a postseason mark with six straight strikeouts.

"The bullpen was awesome the whole day," Jones said.

Having matched the most futile night in postseason history by going 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position in Tuesday's opener, the A's came out and scored an actual run in the first inning Wednesday. And when the Tigers tied it in the second, they scored again - twice even - in the third. But even with two homers from Milton Bradley (one from each side of the plate), and even with Thomas at the plate in the ninth, they couldn't do enough to slow the Tigers. And now they have to take their losing act on the road.

"The Tigers are pretty good," A's manager Ken Macha said.

TONIGHT

NLCS: Mets vs. Cardinals

Game 1, at New York, 8. TV: Ch. 13

[Last modified October 12, 2006, 10:37:26]