Rangers 7, Tigers 3 (11)
Nelson Cruz’s second homer of the game was a grand slam in the 11th inning on Monday to give the host Texas Rangers a 7-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers and a 2-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.
Michael Young led off the inning with a single to left off Ryan Perry (0-1) before Adrian Beltre and Mike Napoli followed with singles to load the bases. Cruz then hammered a drive that landed in the left-field stands.
The walkoff grand slam was the first in postseason history. Cruz had tied the game in the seventh with a homer off the left-field foul pole.
Game 3 is Tuesday in Detroit.
Ryan Raburn hit a three-run homer in the third to give the Tigers a 3-2 lead. Miguel Cabrera doubled and Victor Martinez was hit by a pitch prior to Raburn’s one-out blast to left off Derek Holland.
Texas had three hits off Max Scherzer in the opening inning to take a 2-0 lead. Elvis Andrus singled and scored on Josh Hamilton’s double. One out later, Beltre doubled in Hamilton to give the Rangers an early 2-0 edge.
Mike Adams (1-0) worked a scoreless top of the 11th for Texas to earn the win.
Scherzer gave up three runs and six hits in six-plus innings. He struck out six and walked one before being pulled after Cruz’s game-tying shot.
Holland gave up three runs, four hits and four walks in 2 2/3 innings.