Verlander Keeps the Tigers Alive for Game 6

The Tigers came to hit in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series.  Thanks to a couple of home runs from injured Tiger Delmon Young, Justin Verlander had a 4 run lead to work with and used it well going deep into the 7th inning saving the bullpen.  Young is leading all Tigers in slugging in the post-season with a scalding .767 slugging average! (see below)  Better news may also be that the big boys (Cabrerra and Martinez) are getting into the game.  Miguel Cabrerra had a hit and 2 walks in the game to bring his post-season batting average up to .290.  Cabrerra is hitting .375 against Texas in the Series so far.  Victor Martinez is also on a 3-game hitting streak that includes a triple and a home run. See below for full post-season numbers to date (as of Game 5) on all the Tiger players.

So will the Tigers live to fight for a World Series birth in Game 7 against Texas?  With Texas leading the American League Championship Series 3 games to 2, the Tigers will have to win..and win BIG in Game 6 for that to happen.  Can they do it?  "It's Possible".. IF Max Scherzer can keep the Texas from getting men on base.. and IF the Tiger batters decide to break out.. it's possible..it's just possible.  Cabrerra, Martinez, Young, Peralta, and Avila will have to lead the way.  Look for a surprise hit in Game 6 from an unlikely hero (Dirks?)...and there MAY even be an unlikely hero on the mound as well (Penny? Alburquerque? Schlereth?).  Who knows....

Whichever way it turns out.. it's been a GREAT year for TIGER BASEBALL!

GO TIGERS!    ---Rob Hall Tigers PostSeason(2011) Gm5