American League:

The Detroit Tigers finished off the the Oakland A’s in short order, in 4 straight with a 6-3 win and are headed to the World Series against the winner of the New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals NLCS match-up.

The wildcard Tigers, one recalls, lost the opener of the AL Divisional series to the Yankees and haven’t been beaten since.

Dan Wetzel of Yahoo Sports writes;

The Tigers, the team who no one outside of Michigan has believed in all year, the one that lost 119 games three short seasons ago, swept the Oakland Athletics in the ALCS courtesy of a dramatic 6-3 last-at-bat victory completed when Magglio Ordonez launched a series-winning three-run homer into the pandemonium of the left-field bleachers here at Comerica Park.

Admittedly, a gag reflex kicks in when you say that the Detroit Tigers, of all teams, are an overwhelming favorite to win the World Series. But the Tigers hit, they field, they pitch (oh, do they pitch) and mainly they just keep winning, so humbling both the New York Yankees and these A’s that neither could do anything but tip their caps to a vastly superior team.

Neither A’s starter Dan Haren nor Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman were involved in the final decision but both kept their teams in the game through the 6th and 7th innings respectively, although Haren blew a 3-0 lead and let the Tigers back in to tie the game in the 6th on the first of rightfielder Magglio Ordonez’s 2 homeruns, a solo blast which tied the game at 3-3.  Ordonez’s 2nd homer which won the game and the series, was a 2 out, 3 run walk-off shot amidst pandemonium at Comerica Park and followed 2 out singles by leftfielder Craig Monroe and 2nd baseman Placido Polanco in the bottom of the 9th.  Polanco went 3 for 5 for the game. 

Tigers lefthanded reliever Wilfredo Ledezma, who pitched the 9th inning, was credited with the win.   Oakland’s closer Huston Street, who pitched the final 2 1/3 innings and who gave up Ordonez’s walk-off, was tagged with the loss.

Former Phillie, Tigers 2nd baseman Placido Polanco was awarded ALCS MVP honors.

Larry Lage of AP Sports writes;

Polanco had three hits, including a ninth-inning single two pitches ahead of Magglio Ordonez’s pennant-winning homer in Detroit’s 6-3 victory in Game 4 over the Oakland Athletics on Saturday.

“That guy’s a pain,” A’s closer Huston Street said. “My pitch wasn’t a very good pitch, but it seemed like he hit a lot of good pitches in this series.”

Polanco was selected MVP after batting .529 (9-for-17) in the four-game sweep and extending his postseason hitting streak to nine games — dating back to 2001 with St. Louis.

“There’s no doubt about it, we wouldn’t have been here without Placido,” Tigers closer Todd Jones said. “For the non-baseball people that don’t know how good he is, hopefully the ALCS MVP will shine some light on him. I was with him in Philly, and he was having a hard time getting some playing time because of some guy named Chase Utley.”

The 5-foot-10, 194-pound Polanco said he has used the same approach at the plate since he began playing in the Dominican Republic.

“Look at my size. I’m not going to hit home runs,” he said in a champagne-drenched clubhouse. “I just try to make contact.”

He has done more than try in the playoffs, with a .470 batting average.

During the regular season, he hit .295 — including .396 with runners in scoring position.

Polanco said. “You don’t get the opportunity every year.”

Polanco made the best of it, with three two-hit games in the four-game win over the New York Yankees in the division series, then had three hits in both Games 2 and 4 against Oakland.

For a full recap, box score and play-by-play on Saturday’s ALCS game, click here.

National League:
The St. Louis Cardinals went 1 game up on the New York Mets with a 5-0 shut out in the friendly confines of Busch Stadium as starter Jeff Suppan helped his own cause, both on the mound by pitching 8 strong innings of 3 hit shutout ball and behind the plate by clubbing a solo blast in the 2nd inning to score the Cardinals’ 3rd run.

Mets starter and losing pitcher Steve Trachsel was knocked out in the 2nd inning as he was conked in the head by a batted ball.  However, by then, all the damage was done as the Cards got 2 runs in the 1st inning on 3rd baseman Scott Spiezio’s RBI triple, Suppan’s solo shot, shortstop David Eckstein’s run on a wild pitch and centerfielder Jim Edmund’s RBI on a ground out to 1st base in the 2nd inning.

The vaunted Mets offense came up zeros for the game managing only 3 hits and a walk.  Suppan and reliever Josh Kinney, who pitched the 9th inning, faced only 30 Mets.   And Cardinal pitching has shut out the Mets for 12 consecutive innings.

For a full recap, box score and play-by-play on Saturday’s ALCS game, click here.

On Sunday, the Mets, who now scramble pull even, start 3rd year lefthander Oliver Perez vs 2nd year hurler Anthony Reyes for the Cardinals.

For a full box score and play-by-plays on Sunday’s NLCS game, click here.

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 15th, 2006 at 1:01 pm and is filed under Real-Time Baseball News and Commentary, Post-Season Highlights. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.