Detroit Tigers confident of winning ALCS Game 3 against Texas Rangers – MLB Update
After comprehensively overcoming the Detroit Tigers at home, the Texas Rangers will now head to Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan to play the next three games of the American League Championship Series starting Tuesday, October 11.
The Tigers, on the other hand, had been anxiously waiting for the series to shift to Detroit after having failed to cope with the conditions at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington. Detroit’s ace Justin Verlander fell in Game 1 and Max Scherzer could not capitalise
on his start in Game 2. However, with Doug Fister lined-up for Game 3, a positive result can be expected for the Tigers.
Fister lost Game 1 of the AL Division Series against New York Yankees after rain rescheduled the game and forced CC Sabathia out after just two innings. However, Fister bounced back in the all-important Game 5 against the Yankees and won the game for Detroit,
allowing just one run in five innings.
Prior to his acquisition by the Tigers, Fister was struggling with the Seattle Mariners. However, a change of jersey has changed his fortune considerably. The starter insisted that his approach towards pitching has not changed and it is only the confidence
that has boosted his performance.
In 10 starts for the Tigers since August, Fister has gone 8-1 at an earned-run average of 1.79 and hopes to replicate this form in the Championship Series. Playing at Comerica Park, Fister has gone unscathed in his five starts, winning four games and earning
a no-decision in one.
Rangers’ star from the first two games, Nelson Cruz, is positive of making an impact yet again. He is 7-for-14 against Fister and has already smashed a home-run against the starter. However, Fister is not worried about Cruz’s offensive abilities and is positive
to win the game for Detroit.
To ensure a comeback in the series, Detroit’s offence needs to fire-up. In this series thus far, the Tigers are 2-for-19 with runners on scoring positions and will have to dramatically improve this percentage if they aim at winning against the Rangers.
Detroit’s manager Jim Leyland agreed and added that the games were great and could have gone either way. He pointed out the inability of batters to produce big hits and insisted that this is one area where the team needs to improve.
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