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Tigers even series behind Cabrera, Scherzer

Oct 2, 2011 - 11:34 PM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - The Yankees brought the winning run to the plate in the ninth, but Jose Valverde struck out postseason stalwart Derek Jeter and retired Game 1 hero Robinson Cano to finish off the Tigers' 5-3 victory and even this American League Division Series.

Valverde, perfect in 49 save opportunities in the regular season, entered the ninth with a four-run lead and immediately surrendered a home run to Nick Swisher.

A rare triple by Jorge Posada and a walk by Russell Martin proceeded Andruw Jones' sacrifice fly, cutting New York's deficit to 5-3. Jeter went down swinging, but Curtis Granderson kept the inning alive by working a walk.

Granderson's at-bat was extended after catcher Alex Avila slipped on the on- deck circle tracking his foul ball near the visitors' dugout.

Cano, who drove in six runs in Saturday's suspended opener, ended the rally by grounding out weakly to second, effectively snapping the Yankees' seven-game win streak in the ALDS.

"We had our shot. Our guys continued to play hard," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It's the best of three now."

Miguel Cabrera went 3-for-4 with a home run and three RBI and even stole a base for Detroit, which will turn to Cy Young favorite Justin Verlander for Game 3 at home on Monday.

Max Scherzer (1-0) did his best Verlander impression in his first postseason start, as he took a no-hitter into the sixth and struck out five. The 15-game winner wound up allowing two hits and four walks and was pulled after putting the first two hitters on in the seventh.

Joaquin Benoit retired the next three in the frame to keep it 4-0, capping the inning by fanning Jeter as a brief rain storm hit the Bronx.

"Max was terrific today. Benoit was terrific. And Valverde when it's all said and done, that's pretty terrific, too, to come out of that," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of his staff.

Persistent rain had postponed Friday's Game 1 in the second inning, spoiling a pitchers' duel between Verlander and CC Sabathia, who will also toe the rubber on Monday.

Freddy Garcia (0-1) was charged with four runs -- three earned -- on six hits in 5 1/3 innings for New York, which went 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine.

Granderson breathed life into Yankee Stadium with a leadoff homer in the eighth, but Benoit set down Cano, Alex Rodriguez and Mark Teixeira in succession to keep it 4-1.

Detroit added a key insurance run off Luis Ayala in the ninth, as Brandon Inge was hit by a pitch to start the inning and eventually scored on Don Kelly's single to center.

Magglio Ordonez also had three hits for Detroit and singled with one away in the first. Two batters later, Garcia's 2-0 slider caught too much of the outside part of the plate, and Cabrera sliced it into the seats just inside the right-field foul pole for a 2-0 lead.

Scherzer walked two in the bottom half but got Teixeira to pop out to end the frame. New York threatened in the fifth with a one-out walk and a hit batsman, only to have Brett Gardner softly line out to third and Jeter to bounce into a fielder's choice.

Jeter compounded the missed opportunity with a throwing error to start the sixth, as he threw low trying to nab Austin Jackson at first. Ordonez followed with a base hit, and Cabrera and Victor Martinez each hit one-out singles to bring in a run, with Martinez's humpback liner to center proving to be the game-winner.

The Yankees finally recorded a hit in the home half, as Cano blooped one in front of left fielder Delmon Young with one out.

"I think once you get through the third inning...you can see there's a zero in that spot," said Scherzer when asked if he realized he had a no-hitter through five. "I was aware that I had it going. ... For me it was no pressure at all to keep it going."

Game Notes

The Tigers beat the Yankees in four games in the 2006 ALDS after losing Game 1...Scherzer beat the Yankees twice this regular season and was 3-0 in three career starts against them coming in...Posada's triple was the first of his postseason career...Before the game, Girardi announced A.J. Burnett will be New York's Game 4 starter...The Tigers are likely to start Rick Porcello for Game 4.