The Tigers capped off their 2011 regular season with a 5-4 comeback victory over the Cleveland Indians Wednesday night from Comerica Park.
Despite the victory tonight the Tigers still fall short of the second best record in the American League after the Texas Rangers defeated the Angels 3-1 just after the Detroit/Cleveland game went final. Still the Tigers remained one of the hottest teams in baseball finishing the season with 95 wins and an ALDS date with the New York Yankees. That series will begin Friday eventing at 8:37PM ET from Yankee Stadium.
Wednesday night though the Tigers got one last look at Rick Porcello who ended up going 6 innings allowing 3 runs on 5 hits while walking 2 and striking out 4.
Miguel Cabrera also secured the AL batting title after Adrian Gonzalez and the Boston Red Sox completed their epic September collapse losing to the Baltimore Orioles 4-3 in the bottom of the 9th from Camden Yards. Cabrera was 2/4 Wednesday night with a run scored. He finishes the 2011 regular season campaign with 197 hits, 111 runs, 30 home runs, 105 RBIs and a .344 batting average. All that combined Cabrera will also get AL MVP consideration along with teammate Justin Verlander who ended up winning the AL pitching triple crown.
Closer Jose Valverde completed a magical season for himself as well securing his 49th save in as many tries.
After the game the Tigers bags were packed and ready to head to Yankee Stadium.
“The only reason I want to stay is that we like it here, you don’t have to get on a plane at midnight tonight, your fans will see the fifth game and it would be good for (Tigers owner) Mr. (Mike) Ilitch,” Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. “That’s why I want it. We like it here. But it doesn’t make any difference to me. I’m ready to go.”
| Cleveland | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fukudome, RF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .262 |
| a-Thome, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .256 |
| Kipnis, 2B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .272 |
| Cabrera, A, SS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .273 |
| Hafner, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .280 |
| 1-Phelps, C, PR-DH | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .155 |
| Santana, C, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | .239 |
| Duncan, LF | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .260 |
| Hannahan, 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .250 |
| LaPorta, 1B | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | .247 |
| Carrera, CF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .243 |
| Totals | 33 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 17 | .250 |
a-Struck out for Fukudome in the 9th.
1-Ran for Hafner in the 8th.
| Detroit | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, A, CF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | .249 |
| Betemit, 3B | 3 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .285 |
| 1-Worth, PR-3B | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .270 |
| Young, D, LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | .268 |
| Cabrera, Mi, 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .344 |
| Martinez, V, DH | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .330 |
| a-Dirks, PH-DH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .251 |
| Avila, C | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .295 |
| Peralta, Jh, SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .299 |
| Kelly, RF | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | .245 |
| Santiago, 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .260 |
| Totals | 33 | 5 | 12 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 16 | .277 |
a-Flied out for Martinez, V in the 7th.
1-Ran for Betemit in the 7th.
2B: Hannahan (16, Porcello), Hafner (16, Perry).
3B: Carrera (3, Porcello).
TB: Kipnis; Cabrera, A; Hafner 3; Hannahan 3; Carrera 3.
RBI: Carrera (14), Hannahan 2 (40), LaPorta (53).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Kipnis 2; LaPorta; Cabrera, A.
SF: Hannahan.
GIDP: Carrera.
Team RISP: 1-for-11.
Team LOB: 8.
BASERUNNING
SB: Kipnis (5, 2nd base off Valverde/Avila).
FIELDING
E: Carrera (4, fielding).
DP: (Kipnis-Cabrera, A-LaPorta).
Pickoffs: Smith, J (Avila at 1st base).
2B: Betemit (22, McAllister), Cabrera, Mi (48, Putnam).
3B: Betemit (4, Putnam).
HR: Peralta, Jh (21, 8th inning off Pestano, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Jackson, A; Betemit 5; Young, D; Cabrera, Mi 3; Martinez, V 3; Avila; Peralta, Jh 4; Kelly.
RBI: Martinez, V (103), Avila (82), Peralta, Jh 2 (86).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cabrera, Mi; Peralta, Jh; Young, D; Jackson, A; Avila.
SF: Peralta, Jh.
GIDP: Santiago.
Team RISP: 2-for-11.
Team LOB: 8.
BASERUNNING
PO: Avila (1st base by Smith, J).
FIELDING
E: Betemit (11, throw).
DP: (Peralta, Jh-Santiago-Cabrera, Mi).
| Cleveland | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| McAllister | 5.0 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 6.11 |
| Smith, J(BS, 3) | 1.0 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2.01 |
| Putnam | 0.2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 6.14 |
| Perez, R | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Pestano(L, 1-2) | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2.32 |
| Totals | 8.0 | 12 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 4.23 |
| Detroit | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Porcello | 6.0 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 4.75 |
| Alburquerque | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1.87 |
| Perry(BS, 1)(W, 2-0) | 1.0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5.35 |
| Valverde(S, 49) | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2.24 |
| Totals | 9.0 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0 | 4.04 |
Porcello pitched to 1 batter in the 7th.
WP: Putnam.
HBP: Fukudome (by Alburquerque).
Pitches-strikes: McAllister 76-51, Smith, J 24-15, Putnam 10-6, Perez, R 3-1, Pestano 12-9, Porcello 98-63, Alburquerque 13-8, Perry 22-11, Valverde 19-13.
Groundouts-flyouts: McAllister 5-4, Smith, J 1-1, Putnam 0-1, Perez, R 0-1, Pestano 1-0, Porcello 10-2, Alburquerque 2-0, Perry 2-1, Valverde 0-0.
Batters faced: McAllister 21, Smith, J 7, Putnam 4, Perez, R 1, Pestano 4, Porcello 25, Alburquerque 4, Perry 6, Valverde 4.
Inherited runners-scored: Perez, R 1-0, Alburquerque 1-0.
Ejections: Cleveland Indians Manager Manny Acta ejected by HP umpire Dan Bellino (1st).
Umpires: HP: Dan Bellino. 1B: Larry Vanover. 2B: Brian Gorman. 3B: Tony Randazzo.
Weather: 58 degrees, cloudy.
Wind: 6 mph, In from CF.
T: 2:52.
Att: 31,645.
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