Cards steal one from Mets

Scott Spiezio delivered a clutch hit in the 7th inning, driving a 0-2 pitch into the right field corner for a two run triple and tying the score at 6-6. Shawn Green leaped in an attempt to catch the drive, the ball just bouncing off his glove and hitting the top of the wall. Both runners scored and the back and forth game was tied again.

It stayed that way until the 9th.. when defensive replacement So Taguchi battled vaunted Mets reliever Billy Wagner for nine pitches before finally hitting a mistake into the left field seats for the go ahead run. The Cards tacked on two more off Wagner and shut the Mets down in their half. A huge win for the Cards, they now travel back to St. Loo with a 1-1 series and a chance to flex their muscles at home.

With Pujols emerging from a poor post season, battling for two sold hits late in the game, and Jim Edmonds showing life... the Cards offense could present problems for the Mets if they get on track. They were solid throughout the season and continue to impress you with their lineup.. speed at the top and solid power in the middle.

The Mets must shake off the loss and consider it the Process of Baseball. It's a funny game and you have to take your failures and brush them aside. The only thing that is important is.. the next pitch. And we will be waiting to see that pitch in anticipation as this series just got very entertaining.

Kenny Rogers deals A's another Loss

Detroit is one win away from a World Series! Kenny Rogers pitched another fantastic game in October, going 7 1/3 innings and blanking the A's powerful lineup. After having miserable statistics in the post season for his career, Rogers seems to be intent on wiping those numbers off his record. Two straight fabulous October performances have made a believer out of me.

Detroit's offense did just enough to secure a 3-0 win and, more importantly, a 3-0 advantage in the series. Such an advantage has the A's up against insurmountable odds as only one team in history has recovered... the Boston Red Sox vs. the Yankees in 2004. For some strange reason, I don't see that happening this time around. The Tigers simply cannot lose.

Leyland has pulled all the right strings.. the starting pitching has been incredible.. the offense has provided power... a steady defense.. all resulting in 6 straight playoff wins.

Check out this awesome article on ALCS Game 3 - click here!

El Tigre' Bueno!

Story by Jack Curry - NY Times

Alexis Gómez, a rookie who was designated for assignment twice by the Tigers this season, had a homer, a single and knocked in four runs as Detroit stifled the Oakland Athletics, 8-5, in the second game of the American League Championship Series.

Behind Gómez, the Tigers grabbed a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series and scooted to within two victories of their first World Series since 1984. The Tigers, who played miserably at the end of the regular season, have won five straight playoff games.

Gómez, a left-handed batter, started at designated hitter because Sean Casey, another left-handed hitter, is out with a torn muscle in his left calf. Manager Jim Leyland switched shortstop Carlos Guillén to first and put Neifi Pérez at short. But Leyland still wanted more help from the left side against the right-hander Esteban Loaiza, so he pulled Gómez out of the corner of the dugout.

Leyland and Tigers catcher Iván Rodríguez joked how Gómez hit what seemed like 500-foot home runs in batting practice. But Leyland was serious when he took a chance by starting Gómez.

Leyland’s hunch proved magical and provided memorable results. When Gómez batted with the bases loaded and the score tied in the fourth, he chopped a ball that hit near the lip of the infield grass and zoomed at third baseman Eric Chavez. The ball hit off Chavez’s glove and squirted into left field, allowing two runs to score and putting the Tigers ahead, 5-3.

Two innings later, Gómez took a more muscular route to driving in a pair of runs, drilling a two-out homer to right-center field. There must have been fans at McAfee Coliseum staring at their scorecards and wondering who Gómez was and why he was playing. The fans might have also wondered how a player who had six runs batted in all season had damaged the A’s so badly.

“We didn’t have a whole lot on him,” Oakland Manager Ken Macha said.

Justin Verlander allowed base runners in five of the six innings he pitched, but he was better than Loaiza and that was enough to enable him to win. Verlander gave up four runs in five and one-third innings, while Loaiza surrendered seven runs in six innings. Milton Bradley homered twice for the A’s, who must win two of the three games scheduled in Detroit to avoid elimination.

The Tigers draw first blood.

The stage is set and the Final Four teams are in the gate... Which horse will hit it's mark?

Detroit is riding such an incredible high after losing the first game in the Yankee series.. only to reel off three straight impressive wins. Pitching was the difference, as it always is in the post season. The Tiger's young arms are as impressive as any in baseball and the demonstrated why they had the No. 1 ERA in the league.

The A's .. off an impressive sweep of the high flying Twins are also relying on incredible arms in their rotation. Opening the ALCS with Barry Zito vs the depth of the Tiger offensive lineup, this turns into the classic matchup. Pitching vs. Hitting. Pudge and Company vs. Zito and Company. Frank Thomas and Company vs. Nate Robertson and Company.

As for the NL Series.. it is so elementary.. who's offensive lineup will expose the rotation's weakness. Which incredibly potent offense will prevail? Will it be Delgado, Beltran, Wright and company... or Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen and company?

I can't see either pitching staff fending off the tremendous bats on the opposing side.. I can only see an offensive series here.

Whereas, on the AL side. . it can easily be dominated by pitching.

Awesome game. . . Baseball. It all boils down to Me against YOU. Pitcher against Hitter. Who will win?

Just like tonight's game.. Nate Robertson was impeccable.. made every pitch he needed to make to keep the A's from answering any challenges. The Tigers were so patient vs. Zito that they could eventually get into good hitter's counts and put Zito on the defensive. Once you can get that position... and have the offensive capabilities of a team like the Tigers... look out. Just ask the Yankees.

And so it was tonight. The patience of the Tiger hitters prevailed. They couldn't even put a dent in Zito through the first eight hitters. 1-8 got up .. and just as quickly sat down. But.. each of those hitters remained patient.. getting to at least a two ball count.. working Zito.. working Zito.. Until the #9 man.. Brandon Inge. . 2 outs nobody on. Bang! Bombarooni! A good hitter's count.. a 1-0 ball game. All of a sudden the Tigers came alive.. and .. never looked back. Don Slaught had to be proud of the approach the Tiger hitters undertook.. in part (I'm sure) from Don's coaching.

So.. with a first game win on the road.. here go the Tigers again. They have put themselves in a tremendously advantageous position to take the ALCS and get to the World Series.

Who will they meet?

My pick.. the Mets!