October 6, 2012: Tigers 4 Rangers 1 (Tigers lead series, 1-0)

The Tigers have won their division three straight years, at least partially because of the ace of their pitching staff, Justin Verlander. Verlander's playoff performance though has been less than stellar - 22 earned runs in 4 starts in 2010, and 14 earned runs in 3 starts in 2011. 2012 may be a different story, as Verlander allows just one run and 4 hits over 8 innings and leads the Tigers to a game 1 win.

The Tigers are facing a familiar opponent in the Rangers. This is the fourth time the Tigers have made my SOM playoffs, and the 4th time they've had to take on the Rangers. In 2006 the Rangers won a 5-game Division Series over the Tigers. In 2010 the two teams beat other opponents in the Division Series to face off in the ALCS, won by the Tigers when Rangers closer Netfali Feliz blew a 2-run lead going into the 9th in game 7. In 2011 the two teams again faced off in the ALCS, this time won by the Rangers in 5.

BOXSCORE: 2012 Texas Rangers At 2012 Detroit Tigers                 10/6/2012
 
  Rangers            AB  R  H RBI AVG     Tigers             AB  R  H RBI AVG
  I.Kinsler 2B        3  0  0  0 .000     A.Jackson CF        3  1  1  1 .333  
  E.Andrus SS         2  0  1  0 .500     Q.Berry LF          4  0  1  0 .250  
  J.Hamilton CF       4  1  1  1 .250     M.Cabrera 3B        3  1  0  0 .000  
  A.Beltre 3B         4  0  0  0 .000     P.Fielder 1B        4  0  2  1 .500  
  N.Cruz RF           4  0  0  0 .000     D.Young DH          3  1  1  1 .333  
  M.Young DH          4  0  1  0 .250     A.Dirks RF          2  0  1  1 .500  
  D.Murphy LF         4  0  1  0 .250     J.Peralta SS        3  0  1  0 .333  
  M.Napoli C          2  0  0  0 .000     A.Avila C           2  1  0  0 .000  
  M.Moreland 1B       3  0  0  0 .000     O.Infante 2B        2  0  0  0 .000  
                     -- -- -- ---                            -- -- -- ---      
         Totals      30  1  4  1                 Totals      26  4  7  4
 
 
Rangers......... 0 0 0  0 0 0  0 1 0  -  1  4  0
Tigers.......... 1 0 0  1 1 1  0 0    -  4  7  0
 
Rangers (0-1)            IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA
Y.Darvish LOSS(0-1)       4       4   3   2   3   5   0  85   4.50
A.Ogando                  3       3   1   1   0   1   1  45   3.00
K.Uehara                  1       0   0   0   0   2   0   7   0.00
Totals                    8       7   4   3   3   8   1
 
Tigers (1-0)             IP       H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR  PC    ERA
J.Verlander WIN(1-0)      8       4   1   1   4   9   1 126   1.13
J.Valverde SAVE(1st)      1       0   0   0   0   0   0   8   0.00
Totals                    9       4   1   1   4   9   1
 
ATTENDANCE- 39,947 DATE- Saturday, October 6th 2012 TIME- Night WEATHER- Good
UMPIRES- Tim McClelland, Ted Barrett, Brian Runge, Marvin Hudson
T- 2:10
LEFT ON BASE- Rangers: 6  Tigers: 3
DOUBLE PLAYS- Rangers: 1  Tigers: 1
DOUBLES- P.Fielder(1st)
HOME RUNS- J.Hamilton(1st), D.Young(1st)
RBIs- J.Hamilton(1st), A.Jackson(1st), P.Fielder(1st), D.Young(1st),
      A.Dirks(1st)
CAUGHT STEALING- Q.Berry
SACRIFICE HITS- O.Infante
SACRIFICE FLIES- A.Dirks
WALKS- I.Kinsler, E.Andrus-2, M.Napoli, A.Jackson, M.Cabrera, A.Avila
STRIKE OUTS- I.Kinsler, A.Beltre-3, N.Cruz-2, M.Young, M.Napoli, M.Moreland,
             Q.Berry-2, M.Cabrera-2, D.Young-2, A.Dirks, A.Avila
GIDP- A.Beltre, J.Peralta
2-out RBI- P.Fielder, J.Hamilton
RLISP 2-out- M.Napoli, A.Beltre, J.Peralta, M.Moreland
WEB GEMS- Top 5th: Quintin Berry robbed Mike Napoli of a Homerun!
 
The Detroit Tigers defeated the Texas Rangers by a score of 4 to 1 at Comerica
Park.
 
Detroit jumped out to the early lead in the first inning plating an isolated
run.  Detroit had 7 hits for the game and Texas had 4.  
 
The victory went to Justin Verlander(1-0) who went 8 innings, allowing 1 run.
Verlander was helped out by Jose Valverde who recorded his 1st save.  Yu
Darvish(0-1) was charged with the loss.  He pitched 4 innings and surrendered
4 hits and 3 walks.