The Oakland Athletics pushed their lead over the Detroit Tigers to 2-0 on Tuesday night in Game 3 of the division series on a solo homer by DH Seth Smith. Smith took a pitch from Tigers starter Anibal Sanchez deep to centerfield in the bottom of the fifth.
Sanchez has been solid through six innings, allowing four hits and two earned runs over six innings while striking out three batters. But he hasn't gotten any help from his teammates, who were stymied by Oakland ace Brett Anderson. In six innings, Anderson allowed just two hits while striking out six. He was replaced to start the seventh by reliever Ryan Cook.
Those two hits were recorded in the second inning by Delmon Young and Jhonny Peralta, but Andy Dirks and Avisail Garcia were unable to bring either batter home. The A's took a one-run lead early in the game on a single by Yoenis Cespedes.