Tigers roar to start ALCS

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New York Yankees Raul Ibanez hits a two run home run in the ninth inning of Game 1 of the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers Saturday, Oct. 13, 2012, in New York. Detroit Tigers pitcher Jose Valverde is at lower left. New York Yankees catcher is Russell Martin and umpire is Jeff Kellogg. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel) (CP)

NEW YORK -- Delmon Young doubled home the go-ahead run in the 12th inning after New York's Raul Ibanez hit another stunning game-tying home run during a four-run rally in the ninth, and the Detroit Tigers outlasted the Yankees 6-4 Saturday night in an AL championship series opener in which Derek Jeter was helped off the field with what appeared to be a serious leg injury.

Jeter rolled over his knee when he dove in an attempt to glove Jhonny Peralta's grounder up the middle in the 12th. Unable to move, he flipped the ball toward the mound and his leg was dangling as he was assisted off by manager Joe Girardi and trainer Steve Donahue.

Detroit was coasting to a 4-0 win before the Yankees rocked Tigers closer Jose Valverde in the ninth.

Three batters after Ichiro Suzuki hit a two-run shot off closer Jose Valverde to cut the Yankees' deficit in half, Raul Ibanez connected for his second tying homer of this post-season, a two-run drive to right-centre.

Ibanez started his powerful week pinch-hitting for Alex Rodriguez against Baltimore Orioles closer Jim Johnson in the ninth inning on Wednesday to send Game 3 of the division series to extra innings. Then he won it with a homer in the 12th inning.

The 40-year-old Ibanez also homered twice after entering as a pinch hitter on Sept. 22 in a 10-9, 14-inning win over Oakland. With New York fighting for the AL East title, he hit a tying pinch homer against Boston in the ninth on Oct. 2 and then singled in the winning run in the 12th.

The Tigers failed to capitalize on pinch-hitter Alex Avila's one-out single off David Robertson in the top of the 11th, and the Yankees missed a chance in the bottom half after Suzuki led off with a single, his fourth hit of the game, off Drew Smyly.

Russell Martin singled leading off the ninth and advanced on defensive indifference. Suzuki followed with the first post-season homer of his career after Derek Jeter struck out. Robinson Cano struck out and Mark Teixeira walked ahead of Ibanez.

Valverde blew a save in Game 4 of the division series against Oakland and has allowed seven runs in 2 1-3 innings this post-season.

The Tigers opened a 4-0 lead against Yankees starter Andy Pettitte and Derek Lowe.

Prince Fielder singled in a run after Miguel Cabrera was intentionally walked in the sixth, and Delmon Young followed with a run-scoring single to make it 2-0.

Young then homered in the eighth, and rookie Avisail Garcia had an RBI single three batters later off Boone Logan to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead.

Jhonny Peralta made two difficult plays to deny the Yankees with the bases loaded in each of the first two innings against Doug Fister.

Peralta made a diving, backhand stop in the hole of Rodriguez's grounder in the first, then made a nice play an inning later on Robinson Cano's liner that caromed off the inside of Fister's right wrist, a play that ended another bases-jammed threat.

In Game 2 today, Anibal Sanchez gets the start for Detroit. Hiroki Kuroda will pitch for New York in the first outing of his big league career on three day's rest.

-- The Associated Press

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 14, 2012 B6