Who's Your Tiger?

You remember the Detroit Tigers defeating the New York Yankees in four games. Now they swept the Oakland Athletics to win the American League Championship Series.

In the first game of the series at Oakland, the Tigers managed to score big and win the first game.

The second game was even more exciting. Once again, the Tigers managed to pound the scoreboard. Tigers designated hitter (DH) Alexis Gomez got a 2 RBI infield hit off the glove of Athletics third baseman Eric Chavez and later hit a 2-run home run off Athletics pitcher Esteban Loaiza. Athletics right field Milton Bradley hit 2 home runs from opposite sides of home plate, being the first player in a League Championship Series to do so.

The third game was homecoming day for the Tigers. Detroit’s left fielder Craig Monroe hit a solo home run in the game. The Tigers won, 3-0, which was also their series lead.

In the fourth game, the Tigers started slowly, giving the A’s a 2-0 lead. Then later, Athletics left field Jay Payton hit a solo home run to increase the A’s lead to 3-0.

But in the 5^th inning, the Tigers managed to score 2 runs. In the 6^th inning, Tigers right fielder Magglio Ordoñez hit a solo shot that tied things up at 3.

In the bottom of the 7^th, the Tigers managed to load the bases, but Tigers first baseman Carlos Guillen turned up a double play ball to Eric Chavez, who threw to Athletics first baseman Nick Swisher to end the inning.

The A’s managed to do the same thing the Tigers did. It was all because of Tigers relief pitcher Jason Grilli, who pitched back-to-back-to-back walks to Nick Swisher, Athletics DH Frank Thomas, and Milton Bradley, but Tigers relief pitcher Wilfredo Ledezma got Athletics shortstop Marco Scutaro to pop up, and the ball was caught by Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez.

In the bottom of the 9^th inning, Magglio Ordoñez hit a walk-off 3-run home run off Athletics closer Huston Street to achieve what the Tigers have never did since 1984: another trip to the World Series. This is another time that the Tigers were the pitching staff extraordinaire.