DETROIT — Don’t expect Jim Leyland to rearrange his entire struggling lineup that has scored six runs in three ALCS games and is the reason the Tigers are down 2-1 in the best-of-seven series.
“I don’t think you really do anything with the lineup,’’ said Leyland, who has made minor changes but nothing grand. “You certainly aren’t going to take [Miguel] Cabrera out of the three hole and [Prince] Fielder [out of the fourth spot]. If you had something down at the bottom of the order that was really hot, you might think about pushing them up on top, but that’s not the case.’’
Leadoff hitter Austin Jackson went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts and a walk in Tuesday’s 1-0 Game 3 loss and is 1-for-13 against the Red Sox.
Leyland hinted he could play Don Kelly in center for Jackson, but wasn’t committed to it.
“I am not sure that’s the answer,’’ Leyland said. “I’ll have to think about that one. There are only a couple of real options you have. I think sometimes you have to just live with it unless you really come up with something you think makes sense.’’
Leyland might have a problem with Victor Martinez’s leg. Martinez appeared to be limping while running to first on a ninth-inning single. Martinez reported it was a cramp.
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Mike Napoli’s homer off Justin Verlander brought back memories of Napoli’s first home run in the big leagues, which came off Verlander.
“Obviously, I will never forget that being my first at-bat,’’ Napoli said of the blast at Comerica Park on May 4, 2006, when he was an Angel. “I remember it being a day game and me being tired that day I got the call from [Triple-A] Salt Lake City.’’
Lackey, who benefitted from Napoli’s homer Tuesday, was an Angel then.
“I was here for the first homer, too,’’ Lackey said. “He got called up and hit one off Verlander on a curveball. I said, ‘We need that dude, keep him around here.’’’
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Since the league championship series went to a best-of-seven format in 1985, 22 teams have taken a 2-1 lead and 17 have advanced to the World Series. … Verlander fanned six straight batters in the second and third innings to set a LCS record.
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John Farrell’s view of the late-July three-way trade between the Red Sox, Tigers and White Sox was an example of having to give to get.
The Red Sox sent slick fielding shortstop Jose Iglesias to the Tigers and acquired right-handed starter Jake Peavy from the White Sox, who got Avisail Garcia from the Tigers.
“It’s a great baseball trade because it clearly had specific needs and fit for three teams involved. Secondly, you have to give up a quality player to get a quality player in return,’’ Farrell said.
Knowing shortstop Jhonny Peralta was going to be suspended for 50 games the Tigers needed a shortstop and the Red Sox needed another starter.
“Having been around Iggy when he first signed here and see how he has matured and the way he played for us, it was hard to see him go,’’ Farrell said of the Cuban defector, who played short and third for the Red Sox. “You don’t see that kind of defender come along very often. He is a magician with the glove.’’
Getting Peavy, Wednesday night’s Game 4 starter, softened the blow. He went 4-1 with a 4.01 ERA in 10 starts for the Red Sox.
“We knew we needed another quality starter and we got that in Jake,’’ Farrell said. “And for him to cap off our divisional series with him on the mound, like I said, it was a very good baseball trade for all teams involved.’’