Tim Fuller-US Presswire
The 2012 MLB Postseason is well underway. Following the League Wild Card games and two games played in each Divisional League Series, the action is beginning to heat up even though the weather is cooling down. Here’s what has occurred so far in the two American League Division Series.
The Detroit Tigers have used the home-field disadvantage in this year’s Division Leagues Series and jumped out to a two-game lead over the Oakland A’s. Even though the A’s had the better record and home field advantage in this series, they had to open up the series in Detroit because of the new scheduling and the Tigers won two close games.
In game one, Justin Verlander made just one mistake during the game–to first batter CoCo Crisp, who hit a lead off homerun–while he pitched seven strong innings, allowing just three hits, one earned run and four walks and striking out 11 batters in the Tigers 3-1 win. The A’s rookie starter Jarrod Parker also pitched very well, allowing just two earned runs and seven hits over 6.1 innings of work, but his team couldn’t muster up any run support against Verlander and the Tigers.
In Detroit’s 5-4 game two victory, Doug Fister gave the Tigers seven strong innings of work, striking out eight, allowing six hits and just two earned runs. Tommy Milone pitched well for Oakland, allowing just one earned run and five hits while striking out six in six innings of work. In the bottom of the ninth inning, Don Kelly‘s bases loaded sacrifice fly with out proved to be the game winner against A’s closer Grant Balfour after he got into trouble versus the three previous batters to Kelly in the ninth. First pitch for game three is scheduled for tonight at 9:07 p.m. in Oakland with Anibal Sanchez looking to close the series out for Detroit against Oakland’s Brett Anderson.
In other ALDS, the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles are tied at one game apiece with Yankees taking game one 7-2 and the Orioles winning game two 3-2.
In game one, Yanks ace C.C. Sabathia pitched a magnificent 8.2 innings, allowing two earned runs on eight hits while striking out seven in the process. Baltimore pitcher Jason Hammels didn’t do a bad job against Sabathia, allowing two earned runs but over just 5.2 innings pitched. Orioles closer Jim Johnson lost the game for Baltimore in the ninth when he allowed four earned runs on five hits in just one third inning of work.
In game two, Wei-Yin Chen pitched solidly for the O’s, allowing just one earned run over 6.1 innings of work while Andy Pettitte allowed three earned runs over seven innings for the Yankees. So far for the O’s Chris Davis is producing most of the offense for them, going four for eight with runs batted-in and a run scored. For the Yanks, Mark Teixeira has also gone four for eight with a run batted-in and a walk while Derek Jeter continues his postseason success going four for nine with an RBI and two runs scored.
Game three is set for tomorrow evening at 7:37 p.m. at Yankee Stadium with Hiroki Kuroda going for the Bronx Bombers while Miguel Gonzalez gets the start for the Birds.
