Thanks to some luck and several home runs, the Detroit Tigers were able to keep their season alive with a 7-5 victory on Thursday against the Texas Rangers. Now the ALCS heads back to Texas, where the Tigers lost Games 1 and 2. If the Tigers want to extend the series and their season, they will need a win in Arlington on Saturday.
Saturday's game features a matchup between Max Scherzer and Derek Holland, the Game 2 starters. Scherzer pitched six innings in that game and gave up six hits and three runs. He had six strikeouts and put the Tigers in position to win. Holland also put the Tigers in position to win by going only 2.2 innings and allowing four hits and three runs. His quick exit forced Scott Feldman into the game, and he and the rest of the Rangers bullpen shut down the Tigers in a game that went 11 innings and ended with a Nelson Cruz walk-off grand slam.
If the Tigers are able to win on Saturday night, Doug Fister will get the start in Game 7 on Sunday night. The Tigers and Rangers would play a sudden-death game for a spot in the World Series against either the Milwaukee Brewers or the St. Louis Cardinals.
Of course, the Rangers are hoping history will repeat itself as they look to lock up a spot in the World Series on Saturday. In 2010, the Rangers had a 3-1 series lead against the New York Yankees in the ALCS and fell in Game 5. They responded by winning Game 6 at home to clinch a trip to the World Series, and if history does repeat itself, they will clinch a trip to the World Series for the second year in a row.