MLB

Tigers’ offense stymied in loss to A’s

DETROIT — The Yankees’ last postseason game occurred here at Comerica Park, an 8-1 loss to the Tigers last October that concluded a humiliating, four-game American League Championship Series sweep right into the winter.
Any chance the Yankees left behind some negative October mojo?

Since that series, which featured epically awful offense from the Yankees, it’s the Tigers who have become the head-shakingly horrendous October lineup. They are now one game away from elimination after registering a 6-3 loss to the A’s in AL Division Series Game 3 on Monday. Oakland can win the series in Tuesday’s Game 4.

The Tigers followed last year’s ALCS thumping of the Yankees by suffering a World Series sweep at the hands of the Giants, during which they scored a total of six runs. They have now scored six runs through the first three games of the ALDS. In their last seven postseason games, the Tigers — who ranked second in the AL in the 2013 regular season with 796 runs scored — have a .185 batting average and have scored 12 runs.

They looked good offensively for an inning Monday, an improvement, as they scored three runs in the fourth inning against Oakland starter Jarrod Parker to tie the score. Jhonny Peralta, one of 12 players who accepted 50-game suspensions for getting caught in the Biogenesis scandal, made his first start of the series and stroked a two-run, game-tying single to left field, getting a warm ovation from the home fans who hadn’t seen him since his plea deal.

However, the A’s roared right back in the top of the fifth against Tigers starting pitcher Anibal Sanchez. Brandon Moss ripped a one-out homer to right field, and after Yoenis Cespedes singled, Tigers manager Jim Leyland stuck with Sanchez against the lefty-hitting Seth Smith even though he had lefty reliever Jose Alvarez ready in the bullpen. Smith sent a flyball the other way that the wind carried into the stands for a two-run homer, creating a 6-3 Oakland advantage that Parker (through the fifth) and three relievers protected rather easily.

“He’s my guy,” Leyland said of Sanchez, “and he did lead the league in earned run average. You figure he’s going to get out of it at any time, because he’s good at making pitches. … I don’t think twice about that. Like I said, he led the league in earned run average.”

Sanchez led the AL with a 2.57 ERA. On the other side, the Tigers’ lineup is making every opposing pitcher look like an ERA leader.

“It’s usually a combination of both,” Leyland said. “That’s normally the way it works out. Somebody is making good pitches, and we’re not swinging quite as good as we’re capable.”
Tuesday, the Tigers must break their Yankee curse against A’s starting pitcher Dan Straily, or else they’re headed home.