2006 American League Division Series

*Game was postponed due to rain on October 4

[edit] Game 1, October 3

Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York

Before Game 1, no one picked the Tigers to win the ALDS against a stacked Yankees lineup that included Johnny Damon, Bobby Abreu, and batting champ runner-ups Robinson Cano and Derek Jeter. Many injuries plagued the Yankees early on, but Hideki Matsui and Gary Sheffield returned to make their lineup even more potent. The Tigers seemingly had no chance, and the Yankees were off to the right start by beating the Tigers 8 to 4, thanks in part to a 5 for 5 effort by Jeter.

[edit] Game 2, October 5

Yankee Stadium, The Bronx, New York

After rain postponed Game 2 a day the Tigers evened the series with a win. After getting a 1-0 lead early on, Johnny Damon hit a three-run homerun to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. This would be the last time the Yankees would score until Game 4 and the last time they would lead during the series. The Tigers clawed their way back in, scoring a run in the 5th, 6th, and 7th, with Curtis Granderson hitting the go-ahead triple. In the 9th, the tying run was aboard, but Todd Jones preserved the victory.

[edit] Game 3, October 6

Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan

Feeding off a crowd witnessing its first playoff game in 19 years, Detroit pitcher Kenny Rogers pitched 7 2-3 innings of scoreless ball, earning a victory and standing ovation from the Comerica Park crowd in a 6-0 Tiger win. Rogers was throwing as hard as 92 mph in the 8th inning, topping usual top speed by 3-4 mph. Joel Zumaya used his 103 mph arm to close out the inning, and Todd Jones closed the game for the second time (but did not earn a save, as the Tigers were not in a save situation).

[edit] Game 4, October 7

Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan

Detroit finished off New York behind another dominating pitching performance, this time by Jeremy Bonderman in an 8-3 clinching win. Powered by home runs from Magglio Ordonez and Craig Monroe, Bonderman went 8 1/3 innings allowing only one run before being pulled with one out and one on in the 9th inning. Jamie Walker gave up a two-run homer to Jorge Posada in the 9th before getting Robinson Canó to ground out to end the game and send the Tigers to the 2006 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics.

[edit] Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Oakland wins series 3-0.

[edit] Game 1, October 3

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The A's came into the series as a major underdog, and they had to face arguably the best pitcher in the majors in Johan Santana. Also working against Oakland, Minnesota's Metrodome is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in all of baseball. Frank Thomas hit two homeruns, and Barry Zito outdueled Santana to give the A's a shocking Game 1 victory.

[edit] Game 2, October 4

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, Minneapolis, Minnesota

The A's followed their Game 1 victory with an even more shocking victory in Game 2. An RBI double in the fifth inning by A's short stop Marco Scutaro scored Nick Swisher to give the A's the lead, which was followed by a single from Jason Kendall to score Scutaro. The Twins would tie the game up in the sixth inning off of back-to-back home runs from Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau to chase Oakland starter Esteban Loaiza. In the seventh, and Kendall on first base, Oakland's Mark Kotsay hit a hard line drive to center field. Torii Hunter, an accomplished defensive player, misplayed the ball and it knuckled beneath Hunter's diving reach. The ball rolled all the way to the wall, allowing Kotsay to score for a two-run inside-the-park home run, and give the Athletics a commanding lead in the series.

[edit] Game 3, October 6

McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, California

The A's have had a difficult time in winning games when they have the opportunity to eliminate an opponent in the postseason, leaving many to question if the team would choke another time. All questions were answered when Oakland scored twice in the second when Eric Chavez hit a home run and Marco Scutaro added another RBI double in the series. The A's added two more runs in the third when Mark Kotsay scored on a home run by Milton Bradley to deep center field. Scutaro would add insurance runs for the A's in the seventh inning from a 3-RBI double, giving the A's a 8-2 lead and Scutaro his sixth RBI in three games as Oakland swept the Twins with the 8-3 victory.

[edit] Quotes

• "The 3-1...line shot center field, coming on Hunter, that's gonna drop down, HE DIVES AND MISSES IT! It's gonna bounce and roll all the way to the warning track and up against the wall. The run will score, Kendall is in, here comes Kotsay, rounding third, the throw home won't get him! Mark Kotsay comes all the way in, an inside-the-parker! A stunning development here in Minnesota!" - Dave O'Brien after Mark Kotsay hit an inside-the-park homerun during game 2 of the ALDS for the Oakland Athletics
• "On the ground, second base...listen to them roar! Tigers in four!" - Josh Lewin
• "Popped up, there's Payton...and the Oakland Athletics have swept the Minnesota Twins! It is on to the American League Championship Series for the A's. The opportunity to clinch and, this time, Oakland does not stumble. The A's win it three in a row." - Dave O'Brien
• "And that bat, like Alex Rodriguiez's psyche, is lying in shatters on the dirt." - Josh Lewin after Marcus Thames' broken bat single for the Tigers in game 4. Rodriguez hit a paltry .071 in the series and committed 2 fielding errors.

[edit] External links

• Oakland-Minnesota at Baseball-Reference
• Detroit-New York at Baseball-Reference