ALCS Extra-inning game won by Grand Slam hit by Cruz of Texas Rangers

from M LIVE Coverage - posted game narrative

The Rangers won it on a walk-off grand slam by Nelson Cruz off Tigers reliever Ryan Perry with no outs in the 11th.

The Tigers now trail two games to none in the best-of-seven American League Championship Series. The next three games are at Comerica Park.

Michael Young led off the 11th with a single to left past a diving Don Kelly at third base, and Adrian Beltre followed with a single to center to put two on with no outs.

Mike Napoli followed with a line drive to right-center field that Andy Dirks could not quite gather in. That loaded the bases with no outs for Cruz.

Cruz followed with his second home run of the game to make winners of the Rangers.
Both teams failed to come through with even one run after loading the bases in the ninth inning.

The Tigers loaded the bases with two outs in the ninth on a single by Ramon Santiago, a double by Don Kelly and an intentional walk to Miguel Cabrera. But Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus made a nice running catch – and nearly dropped the ball – on a flare into shallow left-center off the bat of Victor Martinez.

That ended the inning with the score still tied 3-3.

The Tigers are just 3-for-32 with runners in scoring position in their past four games. They have stranded 22 in two ALCS games.

The Rangers then loaded the bases with nobody out in the bottom of the ninth but were unable to score a run.

Adrian Beltre greeted Tigers reliever Jose Valverde with a double off the wall in left-center field to lead things off. Valverde issued an intentional walk to Mike Napoli, then hit Cruz with a pitch to load the bases.

After David Murphy hit a fly ball to left field for the first out of the inning, Mitch Moreland hit a hard ground ball to first base. Cabrera fielded the ball, threw home for the second out of the inning, then caught the return throw from Alex Avila and managed to put the tag on Moreland as he raced toward first.

The Rangers struck first with two runs in the bottom of the first off Tigers starter Max Scherzer. After a one-out single by Elvis Andrus, Josh Hamilton and Adrian Beltre each had RBI doubles to make it 2-0.

The Tigers went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position while stranding five runners in the first two innings, but that changed with two on and one out in the top of the third.

That's when Ryan Raburn delivered in a spot where so many of his teammates have not recently, smacking a 1-2 fastball from Rangers starter Derek Holland over the wall in left field for a three-run home run and a 3-2 Tigers lead.

Scherzer settled down after some early trouble and pitched well. But his day was done after Cruz led off the seventh inning with a home run off the foul pole in left field to tie the game 3-3.

Scherzer allowed three runs on six hits and one walk in six-plus innings. He struck out six.
Holland lasted just 2 2-3 innings for the Rangers. He allowed three runs and four hits, walked four and did not record a strikeout.

Scott Feldman threw 4 1-3 innings of one-hit relief for the Rangers after replacing Holland in the third. He struck out four and did not issue a walk.