2007 ALDS (Game 5)

The Detroit Tigers rally to force a Game 5 at Anaheim.

The 2007 Detroit Tigers have tied the series, 2-2, coming off a three-hit shutout from their young ace Justin Verlander. Now the Tigers have traveled back to Anaheim to face the Los Angeles Angels, in a Game 5, losers go home battle.

GAME 5 - ALDS
Detroit at Los Angeles (A)

The Tigers send Jeremy Bonderman (C-YZ / 18-7, 3.52 ERA & 161 K's) to face off against Kelvim Escobar (B-Y / 18-7, 3.40 ERA & 160 K's) of the Angels.

Both pitchers kept the lineups quiet for the most part in five inning. During the top of the 4th, Escobar was sloppy by walking three batters and hitting a batter with a pitch -- but managed to get out of the inning unscathed; The Tigers' Ryan Raburn started that inning by drawing a walk, but Magglio Ordonez than hit into a double play, then Escobar loaded the bases by walking Gary Sheffield, hitting Placido Polanco with a pitch, and then walking Carlos Guillen -- Sean Casey though popped up for final out of the inning.

I remember thinking at that time, this better not come back to bite us in the ass.

Despite the four walks, Escobar only allowed one hit through first 5 innings -- which was a double by Curtis Granderson to lead off the game. Bonderman only allowed two hits & two walks the first 5 innings.

The lack of scoring stopped during the top of the 6th, when Magglio Ordonez led off the inning with a solo home run to right. The Angels would stop their 17.2 inning scoring drought with an RBI single by Garret Anderson in the bottom of the 6th -- scoring in Orlando Cabrera (double) from second.

The bullpens would take over, and keep both teams off the boards for the next four innings as the game went into extras.

Top of the 11th, two outs, and the bases empty - Marcus Thames launches a blast to right, to take the lead, 2-1. The Tigers' Bobby Seay, already in the game, makes sure that the Tigers walk away with the win & the series, in a 1.2 innings non-save situation.

The Cardiac Cats, once again had their backs against the walls, down 2-0 in the series, the Tigers come through and rally to win the series.

Maicer Izturis was actually quiet in this game for the Angels, by the way... He had an excellent series, in which he batted 9-for-19 (.474 AVG) with 2 HR (one was a grand slam) with 6 RBI. The Angels' offense for the last two games collected only 10 hits & one run.

Thames and the Tigers battle on for another day -- Next up, the Red Sox.

DETROIT TIGERS 2
LOS ANGELES ANGELS 1 (11 Inn)