Tigers at Rangers
THE STORY: The Texas Rangers scored three runs off Justin Verlander, persevered through two rain delays and then relied on the bullpen to notch the Game 1 victory over the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship Series. The Rangers attempt to make it two straight home wins when the series resumes Sunday. The Texas bullpen allowed just one hit and struck out eight over 4 1/3 innings after play resumed from two delays totaling 110 minutes. The Tigers seek a rebound after Texas defeated their ace pitcher for the second time this season.
TV: 7:45 p.m. ET, Fox.
PITCHING MATCHUP: Tigers RH Max Scherzer (15-9, 4.43 ERA) vs. Rangers LH Derek Holland (16-5, 3.95 ERA)
Scherzer won Game 2 of the ALDS when he threw six innings of two-hit ball against New York. He went 1-0 with a 4.76 ERA in three starts against Texas this season and has a 3-0 mark and 3.41 ERA in six career starts. Josh Hamilton is 2-for-12 against Scherzer.
Holland gave up three runs (one earned) in five innings to prevail in Game 2 of the ALDS against Tampa Bay. He didn’t pitch against the Tigers in the regular season and lasted just four innings in a 2010 no-decision in his only career outing against Detroit.
ABOUT THE TIGERS: Detroit batters struck out 14 times in the opener. Austin Jackson fanned three times despite driving in one Detroit run with a double and scoring the other on a wild pitch. Ryan Raburn, Alex Avila and Jhonny Peralta each struck out twice. Ramon Santiago had three of Detroit’s seven hits. Hot-hitting Delmon Young (oblique) isn’t on the ALCS roster after being injured in the final game of the ALDS. Infielder Danny Worth replaced Young on the roster. AL batting champ Miguel Cabrera moved from fourth to third in the order after batting third just once during the regular season.
ABOUT THE RANGERS: Closer Neftali Feliz struck out the side in the ninth and has saved all four of Texas’ postseason victories. Feliz was the only Rangers’ reliever to give up a hit – Santiago’s bunt single to start the ninth. Alexei Ogando got the win in relief with two shutout innings. Nelson Cruz homered after suffering through a horrible ALDS in which he went 1-for-15. David Murphy had a run-scoring triple and Ian Kinsler singled in the other Texas run. Michael Young is hitting just .111 in the postseason.
FINAL PITCH: Ogando has recorded four victories against Detroit this season. He had all three of the Rangers’ regular-season wins against the Tigers.