You never know what you’re going to get from him. But Mad Max Scherzer showed up for the biggest game of his Tigers career throwing a no-hitter through six innings and propelling the Tigers to a 5-3 victory over the Yankees.
Sunday’s win for the Tigers ties the ALDS at 1 a piece.
The Tigers were able to take a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the 9th but closer Jose Valverde, who was 49/49 in save opportunities in the regular season made things interesting. Papa Grande allowed two runs, pitched to seven batters and threw 34 pitches before finishing off the win. The final out came when Robinson Cano, the game one hero for the Yanks grounded out.
The outspoken and colorful Valverde also declared that the series will end on Tuesday.
“It’s over already,” Valverde said to a group of reporters Sunday evening after closing out Sunday’s 5-3 win. “(Justin) Verlander has it tomorrow. The next day we have the celebration in Detroit. They have a good team, but I think that’s it for them.”
At that point, according to Chris Iott a teammate asked Valverde whether or not he knew the media was writing down what he was saying.
“What’s the deal?” Valverde said. “I want it over because I want my team to go to the second round.”
Now Valverde may be right and he may be wrong what seems apparent though is this series looks very similar to the 2006 ALDS between these same two teams.
After a rain delay during game 1 in 2006 the Yankees went on to win the series opener 8-4. In that game Derek Jeter was the hero going 5 for 5. After that Justin Verlander took the hill in game two getting the Tigers the victory and home field advantage. Back at home in game three Kenny Rogers the 2006 staff ace threw an absolute gem then Jeremy Bonderman finished things off in game 4.
Shortly after Valverde made his comments about the series, it began making it’s rounds on Twitter.
“Jose Valverde says the series will be over in two days, with the Tigers winning,” ESPN The Magazine writer Buster Olney said via his Twitter account. “He meant it more in fun/confidence than indictment of NYY.”
The ninth became very nerve racking for Tigers fans not just because of the runs, but because of the spill Avila took due to the rain. After Valverde struck out Derek Jeter, former Tiger Curtis Granderson fouled a ball back near the Tigers dugout. When Avila was trying to make the out he slipped and fell on the plastic mat used as the on-deck circle. The ball ended up falling a few feet away.
Nonetheless the Tigers avoided disaster, earned the victory and are heading home with a series tied up.
| Detroit | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson, A, CF | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | .000 |
| Ordonez, RF | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .429 |
| 1-Kelly, PR-RF | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | .500 |
| Young, D, LF | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | .222 |
| Cabrera, Mi, 1B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .429 |
| Martinez, V, DH | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | .286 |
| Avila, C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .000 |
| Peralta, Jh, SS | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | .250 |
| Betemit, 3B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Inge, 3B | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .500 |
| Santiago, 2B | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 35 | 5 | 9 | 5 | 1 | 10 | 15 | .239 |
1-Ran for Ordonez in the 6th.
| NY Yankees | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeter, SS | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | .200 |
| Granderson, CF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .286 |
| Cano, 2B | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | .444 |
| Rodriguez, Al, 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .143 |
| Swisher, RF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .286 |
| Posada, DH | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | .500 |
| Martin, C | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | .167 |
| Gardner, LF | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | .167 |
| a-Chavez, Er, PH | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .000 |
| Jones, An, LF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Totals | 31 | 3 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 17 | .239 |
a-Struck out for Gardner in the 7th.
HR: Cabrera, Mi (1, 1st inning off Garcia, F, 1 on, 2 out).
TB: Ordonez 3; Kelly; Cabrera, Mi 6; Martinez, V; Inge.
RBI: Cabrera, Mi 3 (3), Martinez, V (1), Kelly (1).
2-out RBI: Cabrera, Mi 2; Kelly.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Peralta, Jh 3; Kelly.
SAC: Santiago 2.
Team RISP: 3-for-10.
Team LOB: 7.
BASERUNNING
SB: Cabrera, Mi (1, 2nd base off Wade/Martin).
3B: Posada (1, Valverde).
HR: Granderson (1, 8th inning off Benoit, 0 on, 0 out), Swisher (1, 9th inning off Valverde, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Granderson 4; Cano; Swisher 4; Posada 4.
RBI: Granderson (1), Swisher (1), Jones, An (1).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Teixeira; Jeter 2; Cano.
SF: Jones, An.
Team RISP: 0-for-7.
Team LOB: 9.
FIELDING
E: Jeter (1, throw).
Scherzer pitched to 2 batters in the 7th.
Balk: Logan.
HBP: Martin (by Scherzer), Inge (by Ayala).
Pitches-strikes: Scherzer 104-61, Benoit 23-16, Valverde 34-20, Garcia, F 77-52, Logan 8-7, Wade 37-23, Ayala 19-14.
Groundouts-flyouts: Scherzer 4-5, Benoit 0-1, Valverde 1-1, Garcia, F 9-2, Logan 0-0, Wade 2-0, Ayala 3-0.
Batters faced: Scherzer 25, Benoit 7, Valverde 7, Garcia, F 23, Logan 2, Wade 9, Ayala 5.
Inherited runners-scored: Benoit 2-0, Logan 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Eric Cooper. 1B: Gerry Davis. 2B: Dan Iassogna. 3B: Ted Barrett. LF: Bill Welke. RF: Tony Randazzo.
Weather: 61 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 13 mph, R to L.
T: 3:34.
Att: 50,596.
Ref: Mlive.com, MLB.com