Detroit might have let Boston off the hook by falling behind 2-1 in the ALCS, but on Wednesday, the Tigers, who are still standing on the outside of that WS VIP section, found the offense that abandoned them in a 1-0, Game 3 loss. Detroit tied the series 2-2 and 68-year-old manager Jim Leyland tossed tradition in the trash bin and did some futuristic lineup restructuring.
Torii Hunter had a two-run double and Miguel Cabrera drove in two runs after Leyland dropped leadoff hitter Austin Jackson to eighth in the order and moved everyone else up a notch. Jackson had been hitless in his last 11 at-bats and was 1-for-13 in the ALCS against the Sox. For the entire post-season he was batting .091 and had struck out 18 times in 33 at-bat, but managed a couple of singles and an RBI walk in the eight-spot.
To put it bluntly, Leyland shook sh!t up.
Red Sox starter Jake Peavy had to take a Rosay bottle to the back of the head on that one, as he gave up seven runs in three innings, his shortest start since June 4, when he was still with the Chicago White Sox. The Tigers helped Boston acquire Peavy in a three-team deal less than three months ago. Detroit’s current shortstop and web gem-master, rookie Jose Iglesias,also came in the deal.
Detroit starter Doug Fister allowed a run in six innings. He’s back in the circle of trust, after blowing a 5-0 lead in Game 2.
It’s a best-of-three now, and Leyland’s finally showing the desperation that a guy—who in seven years with Detroit has led the Tigers to the Fall Classic in 2006 and 2012, but failed to win the franchise’s first title since 1984—should manage with.
As long as he continues to chuck all of his beepers and sky pagers and go Iphone with it, Leyland’s cigarette smoke signals are swaying in the direction of another WS.
