Tigers on the brink of elimination

Nelson Cruz did it again. Just like he did in Game 2, Cruz hit a clutch home run late in the game to propel the Texas Rangers to a 7-3 victory and a commanding 3-1 lead in the ALCS. The only difference this time was Texas already had the lead. Mike Napoli singled to center to bring home Josh Hamilton just before Cruz went yard.

Cruz also cost the Tigers a run with his defense. In the 8th inning, Delmon Young popped out to the rightfielder, Miguel Cabrera decided to tag up and go for home, but Cruz's throw beat him by a mile and Cabrera's attempt to knock the ball away from Napoli at home was unsuccessful. It was the last time Detroit would threaten to take the lead.

Just an inning earlier, it appeared that momentum had swung in the favor of the hometown team. Former Mud Hen Brandon Inge continued his solid postseason by sending an 0-2 pitch from Alexi Ogando over the left-center wall, tying the game at three.

"That one's pretty high up there...I was pretty excited about it," said Inge after the game. It was only the second time in his career that he homered on an 0-2 pitch. Inge received a curtain call from the raucous crowd. "I just wish we could've come out with a little different outcome there. But, you know, that one...that one was special. Trying to keep the team in it and we batted as long as we could...just didn't work out for us," Inge continued.

In the bottom of the 10th Detroit had a runner on first, but Austin Jackson was caught stealing at second and Ryan Raburn struck out swinging to end the frame.

"Anybody when they get in this situation..you know, you've got to go out there and battle and leave it all out there between the lines and, you know, let it fall where it may," said Jackson.

"This team's playing their hearts out right now, we just haven't been able to pull them out, but there's nobody playing any harder than we are," said Raburn.

Despite a 6th inning in which he gave up three runs, it was a solid start for Rick Porcello as he went 6 and 2/3 innings allowing eight hits and three runs while striking out six.

At 42,234, the attendance was higher in Game 4 than Game 3. A little surprising seeing as the game started two hours and thirteen minutes late thanks to rain. Al Alburquerque and Joaqin Benoit pitched a combined 2 and 1/3 innings of scoreless relief before handing the ball over to Jose Valverde. The Tigers closer, in a non-closing situation, allowed the games final four runs and took the loss.

Category:

Sports

Tags:

• ALCS
• MLB Postseason
• Texas Rangers
• Nelson Cruz
• Rick Porcello
• Jose Valverde
• Ryan Raburn
• Brandon Inge
• Miguel Cabrera
• Austin Jackson
• Josh Hamilton
• Tim McMahon
• Detroit Tigers
• WNWO
• NBC24
• home run
• extra innings
• post game
• game four
• game 4
• 2011 alcs
• comerica park

[joemasonist]

tigers fuckin suck

[sktm06]

GO TIGERS