2006 American League Division Series

Game 1, October 3

Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
A five-run third inning by the Yankees put the game out of reach for the Tigers. Bobby Abreu

Bobby Abreu

Bob Kelly "Bobby" Abreu , nicknamed "El Comedulce" and also "La Luche", is a Major League Baseball left fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim....

doubled to score Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon

Johnny David Damon is an American professional baseball outfielder and designated hitter. From 2000–2008, he was third among active players in runs and seventh in hits and stolen bases . He is currently second among active leaders in triples , five behind Carl Crawford...

and Derek Jeter

Derek Jeter

Derek Sanderson Jeter is an American baseball shortstop who has played 17 years in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees. A twelve-time All-Star and five-time World Series champion, Jeter's clubhouse presence, on-field leadership, hitting ability, and baserunning have made him a central...

(who was 5-for-5). Gary Sheffield

Gary Sheffield

Gary Antonian Sheffield , nicknamed "Sheff", is an American retired Major League Baseball outfielder. He played for eight major league ball clubs from 1988 to 2009, primarily as an outfielder.-Biography:...

then singled in Abreu, and Jason Giambi

Jason Giambi

Jason Gilbert Giambi is an American professional baseball first baseman with the Colorado Rockies of Major League Baseball.He was the American League MVP in 2000 while with the Oakland Athletics, and is a five-time All-Star who has led the American League in walks four times, in on base percentage...

launched a two-run home run for a commanding 5–0 lead. In the fifth, the Tigers got on the board with a solo home run from Craig Monroe

Craig Monroe

Craig Keystone Monroe , nicknamed "C-Mo," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who most recently played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...

, then scored two more runs to make a 5–3 Yankees, but Chien-Ming Wang

Chien-Ming Wang

Chien-Ming Wang is a Taiwanese Major League Baseball pitcher. He was initially signed as an amateur free agent by the New York Yankees for the 2000 season, and played for the Staten Island Yankees...

struck out Magglio Ordóñez

Magglio Ordóñez

Magglio José Ordóñez Delgado is a Venezuelan Major League Baseball right fielder. He has played for the Chicago White Sox and Detroit Tigers . Ordóñez is six feet, one inch tall and weighs .-Professional career:...

to end the inning. The Yankees added to their lead with two runs in the sixth and a home run from Jeter in the eighth. The Tigers only got one more run, via a solo shot from Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson is an American Major League Baseball player for the New York Yankees. Before joining the Yankees in 2010, he played with the Detroit Tigers . A center fielder, Granderson is known for being a five-tool player...

Game 2, October 5

Yankee Stadium (I) in Bronx, New York
Game 2 was postponed for one day due to rain. In the second inning, Marcus Thames

Marcus Thames

Marcus Markley Thames is an American professional baseball outfielder. He has previously played for the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers....

doubled to bring home Craig Monroe

Craig Monroe

Craig Keystone Monroe , nicknamed "C-Mo," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who most recently played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...

, giving the Tigers a 1–0 lead. In the fourth, Johnny Damon

Johnny Damon

launched a three-run home run off Justin Verlander

Justin Verlander

Justin Brooks Verlander is an American professional baseball pitcher with the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball....

to give the Yankees a 3–1 lead. That would be last time the Yankees would lead in the series and score until Game 4. Jamie Walker

Jamie Walker

James Ross "Jamie the Cat" Walker is an American Major League Baseball relief pitcher who is currently a free agent. He previously pitched for the Kansas City Royals, Detroit Tigers, and Baltimore Orioles....

(who earned the victory in relief) and Joel Zumaya

Joel Zumaya

Joel Martin Zumaya is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher known for his record-breaking fastballs.-Baseball career:...

shut the Yanks down for the rest of the game. The Tigers clawed their way back in off Mike Mussina

Mike Mussina

Michael Cole Mussina , nicknamed Moose, is a former Major League Baseball right-handed starting pitcher. He played for the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees ....

. In the fifth, a sacrifice fly from Curtis Granderson

Curtis Granderson

scored Thames to the cut the lead to one. Next inning, Carlos Guillén

Carlos Guillén

Carlos Alfonso Guillén is a Major League Baseball second baseman and switch-hitter....

homered to tie the game and in the seventh, Granderson tripled in Thames to give the Tigers a 4–3 lead. In the ninth, Todd Jones earned the save by getting Johnny Damon to fly out to center with one man on to end the game and even the series.

Game 3, October 6

Comerica Park

Comerica Park is an open-air ballpark located in downtown Detroit, Michigan. It serves as the home of the Detroit Tigers of Major League Baseball's American League, replacing historic Tiger Stadium in 2000....

in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...

Feeding off a crowd witnessing its first playoff game in nineteen years, Detroit pitcher Kenny Rogers pitched innings of scoreless ball, earning a victory and standing ovation from the Comerica Park

Comerica Park

crowd in a 6–0 Tigers win. Rogers was throwing as hard as 92 mph in the eighth inning, topping usual top speed by 3–4 mph. Joel Zumaya

Joel Zumaya

Joel Martin Zumaya is a Major League Baseball relief pitcher known for his record-breaking fastballs.-Baseball career:...

used his 103-mph arm to close out the inning, and Todd Jones closed the game for the second time, but did not earn a save, as the Tigers were not in a save situation.

Game 4, October 7

Comerica Park

in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit, Michigan

Detroit finished off New York behind another dominating pitching performance, this time by Jeremy Bonderman in an 8–3 clinching win. In the second inning, Magglio Ordóñez

Magglio Ordóñez

and Craig Monroe

Craig Monroe

Craig Keystone Monroe , nicknamed "C-Mo," is a Major League Baseball outfielder who most recently played for the Pittsburgh Pirates.-Professional career:...

homered off Jaret Wright

Jaret Wright

Jaret Samuel Wright is an American former Major League Baseball starting pitcher, who played 10 years for five teams. He is the son of former major league pitcher Clyde Wright.-Early life and education:...

to give the Tigers a 3–0 lead. After giving up an unearned run in the third, Wright was replaced by Cory Lidle

Cory Lidle

Cory Fulton Lidle was an Americanright-handed baseball pitcher who spent nine seasons in the major leagues with seven different teams. His twin brother Kevin Lidle also played baseball, as a catcher for several minor league teams...

, who ended the inning without further damage, pitched a perfect fourth, but allowed two runs in the fifth. Brian Bruney

Brian Bruney

Brian Anthony Bruney is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. He has previously played for the Arizona Diamondbacks, New York Yankees, Washington Nationals, and Chicago White Sox....

and Scott Proctor

Scott Proctor

Scott Christopher Proctor is an American professional baseball pitcher who is currently a Free Agent.-Minor leagues:Proctor was drafted in the 17th round of the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft by the New York Mets out of Martin County High School, but decided to attend Florida State University,...

each allowed a Tigers run to put the game out of reach. Bonderman, meanwhile, pitched a no-hitter through five innings. Robinson Canó

Robinson Canó

Robinson José Canó Mercedes is a Dominican baseball player who currently plays as a second baseman for the New York Yankees.-Family and early life:...

singled in the sixth for the Yankees' first hit, but Bonderman prevented any further damage. The Yankees ended their twenty-inning shutout streak with a Hideki Matsui

Hideki Matsui

is a Japanese Major League Baseball designated hitter and outfielder. He bats left-handed and throws right-handed.After playing the first ten seasons of his career for the Yomiuri Giants of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball, he played the next seven seasons, from 2003–2009, for the New York...

RBI. Bonderman left the game in the ninth inning with one on and one out. Jamie Walker gave up a two-run homer to Jorge Posada

Jorge Posada

Jorge Rafael Posada Villeta is a Major League Baseball player who is currently a free agent and has played his entire career for the New York Yankees. He served as the Yankees primary catcher for most of his career, though following off-season knee surgery, he was moved to designated hitter for...

in the ninth before getting Robinson Canó

Robinson Canó

Robinson José Canó Mercedes is a Dominican baseball player who currently plays as a second baseman for the New York Yankees.-Family and early life:...

to ground out to end the game and send the Tigers to the 2006 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics. The game is notable as Corey Lidle made his final appearance before dying in an airplane crash

2006 New York City plane crash

The 2006 New York City plane crash occurred on October 11, 2006, when a Cirrus SR20 general aviation, fixed-wing, single-engine light aircraft crashed into the Belaire Apartments in New York City at about 2:42 p.m. local time...

four days later, and was the final ALDS game televised by FOX due to the new TV contracts as of 2011.

Composite box

2006 ALDS (3–1): Detroit Tigers
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team located in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises, the club was founded in Detroit in as part of the Western League. The Tigers have won four World Series championships and have won the American League pennant...

over New York Yankees

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...

Game 1, October 3

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

The Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome, commonly called the Metrodome, is a domed sports stadium in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States. Opened in 1982, it replaced Metropolitan Stadium, which was on the current site of the Mall of America in Bloomington and Memorial Stadium on the University...

in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

The A's

Oakland Athletics

The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

came into the series as a major underdog, and they had to face arguably the best pitcher in the majors in Johan Santana

Johan Santana

Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....

. Also working against Oakland

Oakland Athletics

, Minnesota's

Minnesota Twins

The Minnesota Twins are a professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. They play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. The team is named after the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul. They played in Metropolitan Stadium from 1961 to 1981 and the...

Metrodome

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in all of baseball. Frank Thomas

Frank Thomas (AL baseball player)

Frank Edward Thomas, Jr. , nicknamed "The Big Hurt", is a former Major League Baseball designated hitter and first baseman....

hit two home runs, and Barry Zito

Barry Zito

Barry Zito is a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher for the San Francisco Giants. He previously played seven seasons with the Oakland Athletics, where he won the 2002 American League Cy Young Award and made three All-Star teams....

outdueled Santana

Johan Santana

Johan Alexander Santana Araque is a Major League Baseball left-handed starting pitcher who is currently playing for the New York Mets. He is a native of Venezuela....

(though Zito got a major assist in the eighth inning when, following a lead-off double, Luis Castillo did not bunt in a clear bunting situation) to give the A's a shocking Game 1 victory.

Game 2, October 4

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome

in Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis, Minnesota

Minneapolis , nicknamed "City of Lakes" and the "Mill City," is the county seat of Hennepin County, the largest city in the U.S. state of Minnesota, and the 48th largest in the United States...

The A's followed their Game 1 victory with an even more shocking victory in Game 2. An RBI double in the fifth inning by A's

Oakland Athletics

short stop Marco Scutaro

Marco Scutaro

Marcos Hernandez "Marco" Scutaro is a Venezuelan professional baseball shortstop with the Boston Red Sox of Major League Baseball. A native of Yaracuy State, Venezuela, Scutaro formerly played with the New York Mets , Oakland Athletics and the Toronto Blue Jays...

scored Nick Swisher

Nick Swisher

Nicholas Thompson "Nick" Swisher is an outfielder for the New York Yankees. Swisher is a switch hitter who throws left-handed....

to give the A's the lead, which was followed by a single from Jason Kendall

Jason Kendall

Jason Daniel Kendall is an American professional baseball catcher who is a free agent. He is the son of former catcher Fred Kendall, who played in the majors from 1969–1980.-High school:...

to score Scutaro. The Twins

Minnesota Twins

would tie the game up in the sixth inning off back-to-back home runs from Michael Cuddyer

Michael Cuddyer

Michael Brent Cuddyer is a Major League Baseball right fielder who is currently a free agent. He bats and throws right-handed, and wore number 5 for Minnesota Twins.-High school:...

and Justin Morneau

Justin Morneau

Justin Ernest George Morneau is a Canadian Major League Baseball first baseman for the Minnesota Twins. At 6 feet 4 inches and 225 lbs, Morneau was originally drafted as a catcher by the Twins in 1999. He converted to first base in the minor leagues and made his MLB debut in 2003...

to chase Oakland starter Esteban Loaiza

Esteban Loaiza

Esteban Antonio Loaiza Veyna [lo-EYE-sa] is a former Major League Baseball pitcher...

. In the seventh, with two out and Kendall on first base, Oakland's Mark Kotsay

Mark Kotsay

Mark Steven Kotsay is an American professional baseball outfielder with the San Diego Padres...

hit a hard line drive to center field. Torii Hunter

Torii Hunter

Torii Kedar Hunter is a Major League Baseball right fielder for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.Hunter has taken away many home runs throughout his 13-year major league career by "climbing the fence" in the outfield. He has won nine consecutive Gold Glove Awards as an outfielder.Hunter resides...

, an accomplished defensive player, made an ill-considered dive for what should only have been a single, but Hunter's dive allowed the ball to roll all the way to the wall, allowing Kotsay to score for a two-run inside-the-park home run

Inside-the-park home run

In baseball parlance, an inside-the-park home run, "leg home run", or "quadruple", is a play where a batter hits a home run without hitting the ball out of play.-Discussion:...

, and give the Athletics a commanding lead in the series.

Game 3, October 6

McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, California

Oakland, California

Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...

The A's

Oakland Athletics

have had a difficult time in winning games when they have the opportunity to eliminate an opponent in the postseason, leaving many to question if the team would choke another time. All questions were answered when Oakland scored twice in the second when Eric Chavez

Eric Chavez

Eric Cesar Chavez is an American Major League Baseball infielder. Chavez has played for the Oakland Athletics and New York Yankees...

hit a home run and Marco Scutaro

Marco Scutaro

added another RBI double in the series. The A's added two more runs in the third when Mark Kotsay

Mark Kotsay

Mark Steven Kotsay is an American professional baseball outfielder with the San Diego Padres...

scored on a home run by Milton Bradley to deep center field. Scutaro

Marco Scutaro

would add insurance runs for the A's in the seventh inning from a three-RBI double, giving the A's a 8–2 lead and Scutaro

Marco Scutaro

his sixth RBI in three games as Oakland swept the Twins

Minnesota Twins

with the 8–3 victory. This game was also notable in that Twins pitcher Brad Radke made his final career appearance.

Composite box

2006 ALDS (3–0): Oakland Athletics
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are a Major League Baseball team based in Oakland, California. The Athletics are a member of the Western Division of Major League Baseball's American League. From to the present, the Athletics have played in the O.co Coliseum....

over Minnesota Twins

Minnesota Twins

Series quotes

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.