Ryan Raburn’s three-run home run has given the Detroit Tigers a 3-2 lead over the Texas Rangers after three innings of play in Game 2 of the ALCS.
Until Raburn’s homer, the Tigers had squandered several scoring opportunities, letting Texas starter Derek Holland off the hook, despite early wildness high in the strike zone.
In the first inning, Austin Jackson and Ramon Santiago both reached base, giving Detroit two runners on with no outs. But a popout by Delmon Young, followed by two consecutive groundouts by Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez, prevented the Tigers from capitalizing.
In the second, the Tigers had the bases loaded with two outs, due to three walks by Holland. But Santiago hit into a fielder’s choice, again wasting another chance to put runs on the board.
Detroit finally broke through in the third after a long double by Cabrera to right-center that wasn’t far from being a home run. Holland then hit Martinez with a pitch, though there was briefly some question as to whether it was a wild pitch that would’ve allowed Cabrera to score. A long discussion between the umpiring crew, followed by Jim Leyland arguing the call, may have rattled Holland even further.
After play resumed, Raburn hit a long fly ball into the left-field seats to give the Tigers the lead.
Holland then gave up a double to Jhonny Peralta, and was pulled from the game after getting Alex Avila to ground out. He threw 76 pitches in 2 2/3 innings, 45 of them strikes. He allowed four hits and four walks. Scott Feldman is now pitching for the Rangers.
Max Scherzer had a rough first inning for the Tigers, serving up two RBI doubles to Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre to give the Rangers a 2-0 lead. But he seems to have settled down, allowing just one hit in his last two innings.