OAKLAND — The Yankees cannot afford to look ahead. They have enough to worry about with those pesky Orioles and today’s do-or-die Game 5 at Yankee Stadium.
They’ve been pushed to the ALDS brink once again.
If the Yankees do get past the Orioles, if CC Sabathia comes up as big as Justin Verlander did last night here at the O.Co Coliseum in his Game 5 for the Tigers, the Yankees will be up against it once again.
They will have to find a way to beat the team that knocked them out of the ALDS last year in five games. Verlander shut out the overachieving A’s, whipping them, 6-0, to lead the Tigers into their second straight ALCS. He was dominant from first pitch to his last, pitch No. 122.
This was his first career postseason complete game and shutout. He struck out 11. In two starts, two wins in this ALDS, he struck out 22, surrendered only one run and seven hits over 16 innings.
“This is where legends are made,’’ catcher Alex Avila said. “In a hostile environment, Justin was in his own world out there and really just put us on his back and carried us home.’’
How impressed were his Tiger teammates? When Verlander finally made his way back into the clubhouse after doing a round of TV interviews, he was surrounded by teammates who dumped alcohol-free sparkling wine over his head and chanted: “Cy Young! Cy Young! Cy Young!’’
“Having your teammates dump champagne on you is an experience I’ll never forget and take with me forever,’’ a soaked Verlander said, adding this was his greatest pitching performance, even better than his two no-hitters, because of the team aspect of this victory.
“My team needed me,’’ Verlander said. “This was a win or go home. For me, I think this is No. 1 personally.’’
This was a masterpiece. The right-hander struck out Derek Norris with a 98 mph fastball to end the fifth and then in the sixth with Coco Crisp putting on one of his patented tough at-bats, fouling off pitch after pitch, Verlander retired Crisp by getting him to roll over on an 81-mph change-up.
Navigating a path of wicked pitches is never easy, but when you throw in a 17-mph difference that is what Verlander brings to the mound every night.
And that’s what the Yankees or Orioles will face Tuesday night in Game 3.
The Yankees right-handed hitters struggled mightily last year against the Tigers in the ALDS. Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez and Russell Martin hit a combined .186 in the series. A-Rod was an atrocious 2-for-18.
The Tigers are built around three stars: Verlander, Miguel Cabrera and Prince Fielder. Their owner and pizza king Mike Ilitch believes in the star system. Ilitch put $214 million on the table to sign Fielder to a nine-year contract.
Cabrera won the Triple Crown and should win the MVP as well. He welcomed Fielder to the fold because the lefty hitter gave him protection in the lineup. Jim Leyland said he knew the two would be a perfect match for one another.
“I think the conversation I had with Miguel Cabrera explained the kind of person he is,’’ Leyland said. “Because he said, ‘If we can get Prince Fielder, I’ll move anywhere you want me to move.’ It worked out really good.’’
Yes it did, but Verlander makes it all really work.
“We don’t want to be satisfied now,’’ Tigers general manager Dave Dombrowski said. “Now we want to take that next step. We want eight more wins.’’
For the Tigers to make it to and win the World Series they are going to have to get contributions from other parts of their lineup like they did last night against the A’s. Ex-Yankee farmhand Austin Jackson knocked in two runs.
Verlander beat the Yankees in Game 3 of the ALDS last year. This October he won Games 1 and 5 of the ALDS.
When Justin Verlander is pitching like this, just put down “V’’ for victory.