Tigers Look To Even Up The ALCS
RAIN DELAY ENDED AT 6:30PM - GAME UNDERWAY
After finally showing signs of life at the plate, the Detroit Tigers are right back in the AL championship series.
The Tigers hope for another big offensive effort Wednesday as they try to even the series against the Texas Rangers in Game 4 at Comerica Park.
After totaling five runs and 15 hits while dropping the first two games in Texas, Detroit banged out a postseason-high 11 hits during a 5-2 win Tuesday. Miguel Cabrera hit one of the Tigers' three homers and delivered a tiebreaking double to help make the series a little more interesting with at least two more games remaining at Comerica.
"It's going to be a long series," Cabrera said. "You've got to be patient. We got to go out there and do our job and try to even the series (Wednesday)."
Doug Fister threw 7 1-3 strong innings while Victor Martinez and Jhonny Peralta also homered for the Tigers, who had one home run through the previous two games.
Martinez's fourth-inning homer tied Game 3, but he appeared to suffer an oblique injury on the swing. Though he remained in the game, Martinez's status is uncertain. The Tigers already lost Magglio Ordonez for the rest of the postseason with an ankle injury and scratched Delmon Young from Tuesday's lineup because of a nagging oblique problem.
"You know what? This is us," manager Jim Leyland said. "We are what we are. We've been doing this for the whole year, and we're going to either win this thing or go down with what we got."
Thankfully for the Tigers, Cabrera is healthy.
The veteran first baseman was 5 for 23 with a homer and three RBIs this postseason prior to going 2 for 4 on Tuesday. He's 6 for 15 with a double against scheduled Texas starter Matt Harrison (1-0, 4.76 ERA), who looks to find a way to beat Detroit for the first time in his career.
The left-hander is 0-4 with a 7.43 ERA in five career starts versus the Tigers, including 0-2 with a 6.30 ERA in two this season. He is 0-3 with a 7.03 ERA at Comerica.
"They're a tough lineup," Harrison said. "The big thing is you have to keep them uncomfortable at the plate."
Harrison allowed two runs and struck out nine in five innings of the Rangers' 4-3, AL division series-clinching win at Tampa Bay on Oct. 4. He also yielded one run in two-thirds of an inning of relief in Texas' 9-0 Game 1 loss to the Rays on Sept. 30.
"It's been a great experience so far, and I'm looking forward to more (Wednesday)," said Harrison, who was left off the Rangers' postseason roster in 2010.
The Tigers counter with Rick Porcello (0-1, 4.50), who they hope gained some confidence after he pitched two innings of scoreless relief in the 3-2 Game 1 loss at Texas. That effort came after Porcello allowed four runs and hit two batters over six innings of a 10-1 home loss in Game 4 against New York on Oct. 4.
"I feel good. My arm feels fresh," Porcello said. "I feel like the ball is coming out of my hand better. I'll be ready to go (Wednesday), and physically everything will be there."
The right-hander is 1-1 with a 6.30 ERA as a starter against the Rangers, with both outings coming on the road.
Texas third baseman Adrian Beltre, just 1 for 6 versus Porcello, went 0 for 4 on Tuesday and could be limited for Game 4 after he was noticeably hobbled from taking a foul ball off his knee. An X-ray showed it was a bruise.
Ian Kinsler and Josh Hamilton each had two hits and an RBI while catcher Yorvit Torrealba added three hits as the Rangers had their five-game postseason winning streak snapped.
Hamilton is 4 for 9 with two RBIs in the last two games but 0 for 3 versus Porcello.
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