Vintage Verlander Leads Tigers Over A’s

The Detroit Tigers relied on a couple of stalwarts to advance to the American League Championship Series for the third consecutive year.

Justin Verlander tossed eight brilliant innings and Miguel Cabrera hit a two-run homer as the Tigers downed the Athletics 3-0 in Oakland. Verlander had a no-hitter until Yoenis Cespedes singled up the middle with two outs in the seventh. Verlander retired his first 16 batters before Josh Reddick worked out a one-out walk in the sixth.

Cabrera's blast put the Tigersahead 2-0 in the fourth, two innings after Victor Martinez scored on Omar Infante's  grounder. Martinez had three of Detroit's eight hits to finish the five-game series with a .450 average.

Joaquin Benoit made it interesting with two outs in the ninth, allowing a base hit before hitting Cespedes. But he closed out the series by getting Seth Smith to fly to right field.

A's starter and loser Sonny Gray left the game in the sixth, charged with three runs on six hits and four walks.

The Tigersnow head to Boston to take on the Red Sox in Game 1 of the ALCS on Saturday.