Detroit Tigers Fend off New York Yankees to Even up ALDS

The Detroit Tigers held off the New York Yankees to tie up their American League Division Series on Sunday with a 5-3 win at Yankee Stadium, and are very much looking forward to heading back home to Detroit Monday night.

AL Batting Champion Miguel Cabrera smoked a two-run homer off Yankees starter Freddy Garcia in the first to give Max Scherzer an early lead before adding another RBI in the sixth along with Victor Martinez to make it 4-0. Scherzer actually pitched no-hit ball into the sixth before the Cano blooped one the opposite way into left field, but we totally forgave him for that.

About the time it started to rain again, Curtis Granderson hit a solo shot in the eighth off Joaquin Benoit, but Don Kelly answered with a home run of his own in the top of the ninth to bring the score to 5-1.

Things got a little crazy in the bottom of the ninth when Nick Swisher went yard and Andruw Jones added a sacrifice fly to bring the Yankees within two.  Tigers closer Jose Valverde then walked Granderson to put runners on first and second, but quickly recovered to retire the hot-hitting Cano and cap Detroit's victory to bring the series to Motor City for Game 3 Monday at 8:30pm ET on TBS.

Ivan Nova, Robinson Cano Lead Yankees Past Tigers in ALDS Game One

A day after their rain-suspended Game One of the American League Division Series, the Detroit Tigers headed back the Yankee Stadium to resume play in the bottom of the second inning.

Right-hander Ivan Nova pitched 6.1 brilliant innings of relief while Robinson Cano contributed a tie-breaking double in the fifth and a grand slam in the six-run sixth to give their Yankees a 9-3 victory Saturday night.

Nova surrendered only two runs on four hits, striking out five and walking four. Opposing pitcher Doug Fister lasted just 4.2 innings of relief, getting the loss after fanning seven, but giving up six runs on seven hits.

Freddy Garcia will get the ball for New York Sunday afternoon for Game Two of the best-of-five series at 3pm ET on TBS. He'll face 27-year-old righty Max Scherzer, who is a career 3-0 in as many starts against the Yankees, with a 2.84 ERA. Garcia, who came to the Bronx this winter, is 18-8 with a 3.88 ERA against the Tigers over 32 career starts, seeing lots of time against them while with the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central.

[Baseball Nation]

One More For the Road

The Chicago White Sox, who have played some pretty crappy baseball as of late, will host the Detroit Tigers Monday afternoon with a makeup game for one last shot at tying the Minnesota Twins for the American League Central division title.

If the Sox manage to pull that one off, they'll play a Tuesday tie-breaker against the Twins, who swept them over the weekend to gain a half-game lead.

The Mets Want Freddy Garcia

Last winter, the New York Mets had Freddy Garcia in the cross hairs, but the Philadelphia Phillies made the better offer to his White Sox. But it's a new offseason with Garcia coasting through free agency, and the Mets have reportedly been in contact with his agent.

The 32-year-old righty went 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts for the Phils before beginning an unsuccessful rehab program. He had labrum and rotator cuff surgery in August, and is currently rehabbing with the intention to pitch by midseason.

At 6-4 and 260 pounds, Garcia has a 117-76 record and a 4.07 ERA over nine big league seasons.

[NY Daily News]

Freddy Garcia Has Season-Ending Surgery

Remember Freddy Garcia? Three months ago, he was promising high hopes and running into equipment carts in the outfield for $10 million clams.

Just one win and one season-ending shoulder surgery later, the two-time All-Star righty can pretty much put his days in a Philadelphia Phillies uniform behind him, as free agency looms after this season.

Traded away by the Chicago White Sox for two minor leaguers, Garcia was expected to be a steal of an ace for Philly. Unfortunately, he was the complete opposite at 1-5 with a 5.90 ERA in 11 starts.

Rookie Kyle Kendrick was called up from the Double-A Reading Phillies to save the day and take Garcia's spot in the order. Wouldn't you know, the kid has gone 7-3 with a 3.89 ERA in 14 starts.

Something else very peculiar about the Phillies rotation: out of the six quality starting pitchers the club had coming into spring training, only Jamie Moyer (who is older than dirt in baseball years at age 44) hasn't landed on the disabled list. It's a crazy world, kids.

[SI.com]

Why Freddy Garcia Isn't an Outfielder

Philadelphia Phillies righty Freddy Garcia was injured Sunday night at AT&T Park when he crashed into an equipment cart that had stopped along the warning track. While trying to catch a fly ball, he toppled onto the cart and was clearly in pain. Handily, he was quickly carted off the field on the same vehicle.

Garcia bruised and scraped his left shin in the collision, having the Phillies wondering if he'll be able to make his scheduled start Monday night in the opener of a three-game set at Arizona.

Squeeze Play: Mets @ Phillies

After patiently waiting to make his season debut, Freddy Garcia hopes to help the Philadelphia Phillies shake their worst start in 10 seasons (3-8) when they host veteran Tom Glavine and the New York Mets (7-4) at 7:05pm ET.

As Garcia makes only his second start against the Mets, Glavine will make his second against Philadelphia already this season. He gave up three runs in six innings of Thursday's 5-2 win over the Phillies, finally settling down after a rocky start to outpitch Jamie Moyer in the most wrinkly matchup of lefty starters in 85 years.

[MLB]