YES! Tigers Beat the Yankees.. Now Texas?

Delmon Young - Strained Oblique

A tense Game 5 against the Yankees went the Tigers way due to great pitching and a lack of hitting by the Yankees.  Now the Tigers are on to Texas where they dropped Game 1 of the American League Championship Series to the Texas Rangers due to a lack of hitting against the Texas right-handed relievers who came in to replace the lefty-starter C.J Wilson against whom the Tigers tallied 2 runs and 6 hits until the rain delayed the game and ended his outing.

Ordonez - Finished.

Bad news followed the Division Series against the Yankees and the first game of the American League Championship Series against the Rangers.  Delmon Young who was leading all Tiger hitters except Magglio Ordonez came up hurt after the Division Series with a strained oblique muscle.  Worse yet, Magglio Ordonez, after leading the Tigers hitting .385 in the post-season so far has re-broken his right ankle and is done for the season.

That leaves Ryan Raburn, Don Kelly, and Brandon Inge as unlikely batting average leaders at .375, .333, and .333 respectively (see below).  What is unusual is the fact that Cabrerra, Martinez, Peralta, and Avila have yet to start hitting.  Yet even so, the Tigers beat the Yankees in the Division Series.  If these bats heat up (and they aren't hitting so far..see below), then the Tigers should take the Rangers if Tiger pitchers can hold the Rangers to 2-3 runs as they did in Game 1 of the AL Championship Series.

Prediction for Game 2?  Cabrerra, Martinez and Peralta will hit big-time against the lefty-starter (Derek Holland) that the Rangers are sending out to meet them.  Avila will continue to struggle, but look for his bat to come alive against the Texas relievers who follow the left-handed starter.  Andy Dirks will get to play (and hit) against the Texas relief pitchers.                     GO TIGERS!    ---Rob

Dirks gets a shot.

Current numbers for Tiger Hitters and Pitchers...
Tigers PostSeason(2011) 2