2007 ALDS (Game 3)

We are in the post-season for my 2007 DETROIT TIGERS Season Replay, in which I will be playing out the other playoff series that may have been altered during season match-ups.

I would like to mention that it was pointed out to me (repeatedly by one person) that my research on the match-up for the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees would never happened due to the old rules that were still in place before the 5th playoff team (2nd wildcard team) was added.

For that, it's good to know, but too late since I have played the first 2 games for the 4 teams in the ALDS already -- maybe, I will go back and do an alternate & more accurate MLB finish to this, but then again.. this is my alternate replay, this is my APBA project, and this is how my 2007 DETROIT TIGERS Season Replay will be conducted for the time being.

We left off with the Los Angeles Angels up 2-0 in their series against the Detroit Tigers, while the New York Yankees find themselves in a 2-0 hole against the Boston Red Sox.

We go out to New York for Game 3 in Old Yankee Stadium...

GAME 3 - ALDS
Boston at New York (A)

Two veterans starting pitchers go head-to-head in this one, and both are no strangers to post-season glory -- Curt Schilling (C-YZ / 9-8, 3.87 ERA & 101 K's in 151 innings) for Boston & Andy Pettitte (C / 15-9, 4.05 ERA & 141 K's) for the Yankees. Pettitte would go on to win 19 post-season games, posting a 3.81 ERA in 276.2 innings; Schilling would not win as many post-season games as Pettitte, but was definitely more impressive (11-2, 2.23 ERA & a outstanding post-season .968 WHIP).

So would this go on to be a great pitchers' duel?
No.

Andy Pettitte would get injured on the second out of the 2nd Inning while covering first, while Jason Varitek steps on Pettitte's foot. Phil Hughes would take over for Pettitte out of the pen, he would go perfect for 1.1 innings, until Boston would score in the top of the 4th, on a error by Alex Rodriguez.

Top of the 5th - Boston takes commanding 4-0 lead, after a two-run home run by David Ortiz, and RBI double by Mike Lowell.

Ortiz flexing some muscle with 2nd HR of the series.

Hughes would only last 3 innings, allowing 4 hits, 3 earned runs (4 runs), while walking 3 batters, with no strike outs.

Top of the 6th - Manny Ramirez would add a two-run double, while Mike Lowell collects his 2nd ribbie of the night, with RBI single. Boston leads 7-0.

Unusual good series for A-Rod.

Boston's Curt Schilling was mostly in control the first 5 innings, he would get touched up for three runs in the bottom of the 6th by Alex Rodriguez's two-run triple (A-Rod's 2nd triple of the series) -- while Alex would score on a ground out by Hideki Matsui.

Boston's great bullpen would take over, the final three innings, keeping the Yankees off the boards. The Yankees would use 8 pitchers in this game, as they lose 8-3 and are swept by the Red Sox.

Alex Rodriguez, historically a playoff goat, goes 4-for-13 in the series, with 4 RBI & 3 runs (Yankees only scored 9 runs all series); Derek Jeter went 6-for-11, but his 2 errors in Game 2 cost the Yankees dearly.

Bostons' heroes: Kevin Youkilis went  4-for-9, also drawing 4 walks, with 4 RBI; David Ortiz went 4-for-10 with 2 HR with 3 RBI & 6 runs (3 walks) & Dustin Pedroia went 4-for-12 with a HR & 2 RBI (5 runs).

The Yankees were outscored 22-9 & while Boston out-hit them 29-21. Boston made no errors in the series, while New York made 3 errors.

BOSTON RED SOX 8
NEW YORK YANKEES 3

Boston sweeps series, 3-0

GAME 3 - ALDS
Los Angeles (A) at Detroit

The Detroit Tigers find themselves in a 2-0 hole, as the Tigers' lineup will have to do their best in keeping the Tigers in this one with Nate Robertson on the mound; Robertson (C / 12-12, 4.84 ERA & 104 K's) will face the Angels' Jered Weaver (C-YZ / 13-7, 3.91 ERA & 115 K's in 161 innings).

The Angels strike first with a one-out, two-run home run by the dangerous Vladimir Guerrero in the top of the 1st. Vlad was quiet in the second game, after reaching safely in all four plate appearances in Game 1 on 2 hits & 2 walks. The Tigers would get a run back in the bottom half of the inning, as Curtis Granderson, who led with a double, reached home on a fielding error by Chone Figgins.

Trailing 2-1 in the bottom of the 2nd, Marcus Thames (getting his 1st series start) would knock in Carlos Guillen on a RBI double.

Top of the 3rd, a lead-off double by Guerrero for the Angels, while Garret Anderson would collect his 5th RBI of the series, with an RBI single; Angels lead 3-2.

Bottom of the 5th - Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez leads off with a double for the Tigers, while surprisingly stealing third, Angels' catcher Jeff Mathis would throw the ball past the third baseman into left field, as Pudge would score easily, tying the game. A.L. Batting Champion - Magglio Ordonez (.377) would hit his 2nd HR of the series, to give Tigers a 4-3 lead.

Golden Halo: Maicer has had an amazing series for Angels.

The Angels though would silent the Tigers crowd in the top of the 6th though, Zach Miner in relief, would load the bases up for Maicer Izturis; Izturis would send it deep for a Grand Slam! Izturis has been amazing this series for the Angels -- 7-for-11 (.636), 2 HR, 6 RBI, 2 runs & a stolen base... he would add another single by end of game to raise average up to .750 this series.

Big, bad Marcus Thames lights up Game 3.

The Tigers, now feeling the pressure of a 7-4 game deficit, would get a run back in the bottom of the 6th, with another RBI double by Marcus Thames.

Trailing 7-5, Ryan Raburn would hit a solo HR off of reliever Justin Speier, to make it 7-6 Angels. The Tigers' reliever Tim Byrdak would pitch a shutout 8th inning in an attempt to keep the Tigers in the game.

Bottom of the 8th - Scot Shields on the mound for the Angels; Shields gets the first two Tigers in Placido Polanco and Carlos Guillen to fly out. The Tigers decide to pinch-hit Timo Perez for Sean Casey, and draws a walk; Tigers pinch-run Omar Infante for Perez. With two outs, Marcus Thames makes Shields pay with a mistake pitch left over the plate -- two-run blast for Thames; Thames is 3-for-4 this game, with 2 doubles, HR & 4 RBI.

The Tigers have now pulled off another late comeback, and now have a 8-7 lead, thanks to Thames. Bobby Seay would come out of the pen for the Tigers, and complete the Save, while Tim Byrdak is credited with the win.

The Tigers are hoping this game can spark some life into the remainder of this series, they must win Game 4 to force this series back to California though.

DETROIT TIGERS 8
LOS ANGELES ANGELS 7

Tigers had 7 hits, no errors; Angels had 8 hits on 2 errors.

Angels leads series, 2-1