SWISH MISS: Nick Swisher can’t come up with Delmon Young’s line drive in the 12th inning, allowing the game-winning run to score last night against the Tigers in ALCS Game 1. (
)
OOPS, HE DID IT AGAIN: Alex Rodriguez strikes out against Doug Fister in the sixth inning of last night’s 6-4, 12-inning loss to the Tigers in Game 1 of the ALCS. Joe Girardi pinch hit for Rodriguez, who went 0-for-3, in the eighth inning with Eric Chavez. (
)
In five steps that appeared routine but weren’t, Derek Jeter went from Captain Clutch to Captain Gone and the Yankees’ chances of getting to the World Series likely evaporated into the chilled air of an early autumn evening.
Not only did the Yankees suffer an excruciating 6-4 loss in 12 innings to the Tigers in Game 1 of the ALCS last night in front of 47,122 at Yankee Stadium, Jeter fractured his left ankle going for a Jhonny Peralta ground ball in the 12th inning when the winners scored twice off David Phelps.
When Jeter, who is expected to need three months to recover, didn’t get up off the infield dirt, everyone watching understood whatever was wrong was bad.
“It’s crushing. You go from the highest of highs to losing the game and having our heart and soul snatched away from us,’’ Derek Lowe said.
The high was provided by Raul Ibanez’s latest late-game magic. His two-run homer off Jose Valverde with two outs in the ninth tied the score, 4-4, and sent the game into extra innings. Ichiro Suzuki homered with a man on earlier in the inning.
“It’s going to be difficult,’’ Ibanez said of not having Jeter for the rest of the ALCS or the World Series — if the Yankees can handle the Tigers without their leadoff hitter, shortstop and heartbeat. “We have to step up and make it happen.’’
Deleted from the ALCS roster earlier in the day, Eduardo Nunez will take Jeter’s spot. It remains to be seen if Joe Girardi, who with trainer Steve Donohue assisted Jeter off the field, inserts the defensively-challenged Nunez at short or goes with the steady Jayson Nix.
“These guys are professionals and they know the task at hand,’’ general manager Brian Cashman said of his players who rebounded from losing Mariano Rivera to a knee injury in May to win the AL East and post the most wins in the league.
Game 2 is today and the Yankees will start Hiroki Kuroda on three days’ rest. Anibal Sanchez goes for the Tigers. The Yankees desperately need a win today to avoid going to Detroit for Game 3 trailing, 2-0, and facing Justin Verlander on Tuesday.
As for the game, the Yankees didn’t score with the bases loaded in the first, second and sixth innings. Andy Pettitte gave up two runs in the sixth and Lowe two in the eighth when Delmon Young homered.
Jim Leyland figured Valverde could close out a 4-0 game, but was wrong. Ichiro’s homer, his fourth hit, scored Russell Martin and Mark Teixeira worked a two-out walk after being behind, 0-2, in front of Ibanez’s third postseason homer.
“Polar opposites of the spectrum,’’ Ibanez said of the high his blast provided and then seeing Jeter not able to get up. “It was exciting because we were back in this thing and to lose Jeter is a huge blow. It was very difficult to watch.’’
The Tigers benefited in the 12th inning after Nick Swisher said he lost Young’s one-out liner to right-center in the lights. Miguel Cabrera, who drew a leadoff walk from Phelps, scored. The second run came home on Andy Dirks’ infield single off Phelps’ bare hand.
“It caught up in those lights and I just went completely blind,’’ said Swisher, who went 1-for-5 and was loudly booed after making outs in the second and 12th innings. “I just went completely blind. It kind of handcuffed me but I didn’t even see it.’’
Without Jeter it’s hard to see the Yankees having enough to get by the Tigers.
“Somebody will have to step in and fill the spot,’’ Pettitte said. “It’s a tough loss and an emotional game but we have a game [today] at four o’clock.’’
One the Yankees will play for the first time in this postseason without Jeter.
george.king@nypost.com