Oakland, Calif. – The gentleman sitting behind the third-base dugout with the orange hunting vest and Tigers cap pressed the binoculars into his eyes. This was getting good.
The Detroit Tigers have begun to appeal beyond the gee-whiz fascination stage. They pulled the wrapping off the American League Championship Series and it still feels like Christmas Day.
The team that eliminated the New York Yankees, nearly got Joe Torre fired and may get Alex Rodriguez traded continued its “Hear Us Roar” World Tour with a 5-1 win Tuesday over the Oakland Athletics at McAfee Coliseum.
“We already ruined one party, and now people are talking like the Mets have already won the World Series,” Tigers closer Todd Jones said. “We just keep getting outs and turning the page.”
The winner of the first game in the ALCS has advanced to the World Series 58 percent of the time. That news is even more comforting, given those responsible for this win.
The Tigers beat Oakland with their worst starting pitcher (Nate Robertson), a reliever (Fernando Rodney) who wasn’t deemed worthy to face the Yankees and a slugger (Brandon Inge) who batted .133 in the division series and yet finished a triple shy of becoming the first player to hit for the cycle in a playoff game.
“Of course I was aware of it. On the flip side, I basically didn’t do anything in the division series, so I was happy I was able to contribute,” Inge said. “Anyone in this lineup can jump up and get you.”
Justin Verlander, one of the Tigers’ blowtorches, awaits Oakland hitters tonight, with the Athletics facing arguably a must-win game given the pitching matchups in Detroit. This was supposed to be the A’s night to establish momentum and benefit from a Motown letdown.
Instead, the Tigers chased Oakland ace Barry Zito after just 11 outs, exercising a much more patient approach than seen during the regular season. The left-hander, possibly making his last home start for the A’s with free agency looming, was tagged for five runs, sabotaged by flawed fastball command.
Inge began the assault on Zito with a two-out home run in the third inning. Ivan Rodriguez followed with a home run in the Tigers’ three-run fourth inning. Only Sean Casey’s left calf injury tainted the victory. Casey, wearing a protective boot, will not play tonight and an MRI will determine whether he will be available this weekend.
“It’s frustrating,” said Casey, who will be replaced by a combination of players, including Carlos Guillen and possibly former Rockie Neifi Perez. “You never want this to happen, especially now.”
Three days after the Yankees were muted, the A’s feeble hitters appeared to be swinging noodles of linguini. Oakland grounded into an ALCS-record four double plays, was 2-for-20 with runners on base and went hitless in 13 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Nothing symbolized an evening of lost opportunities more than the chilling three consecutive strikeouts in the fourth inning with runners on second and third.
“If we can’t do any better than that, we will be going home,” third baseman Eric Chavez said. “(Robertson) made pitches when he had to. But when you have a guy on the ropes, you have to capitalize.”
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-954-1301 or trenck@denverpost.com.
