Tigers vs. Athletics, 2012 ALDS Game 2 recap: Detroit wins 5-4 on walk-off sacrifice fly

In a back and forth game that saw three lead changes in the final three innings, the Detroit Tigers came back to win 5-4 over the Oakland Athletics in Game 2 of the ALDS on Sunday afternoon. The Tigers were leading late in the game, but needed a rally to win after blowing the advantage.

Entering the eighth inning, the Tigers were leading 3-2, but the Athletics came back behind a series of impressive plays by their pair of star outfielders, Josh Reddick and Yoenis Cespedes. Reddick hit the go-ahead solo homer after Cespedes scored on a wild pitch, putting the A's ahead 4-3 entering the bottom of the eighth inning.

In that frame, the Tigers got their opportunity to take advantage of a wild pitch, scoring Don Kelly on Oakland pitcher Ryan Cook's unfortunate mistake. That merely tied the game, though, forcing things into the ninth inning after Cook got out of the jam.

It was Kelly that proved to be the hero once again, though, knocking in the game-winning run just one frame after tying the game himself. After Grant Balfour intentionally walked Prince Fielder in order to get to Kelly with two runners on and one out, Kelly hit a fly ball deep enough to score Omar Infante, who beat the throw to give Detroit the victory.

The Tigers now lead 2-0 over the Athletics as the two teams head west to Oakland for the remainder of the series, a major victory for the club. Detroit still has to close out the series on the road, but at least it will have three different opportunities to do it.