Detroit Tigers finish top of American League beating Oakland Athletics 3-1 – MLB Update
Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 on Friday, September 17 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland to finish first in the American League after almost a quarter-century.
Jose Valverde had his 47th save of the season to secure the win for the jubilant Detroit Tigers.
While everyone attached to the Tigers, from the team management to the increasingly passionate fans were delighted, the most buoyant of all was the Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland. For him it was a dream coming true.
"We were seven games behind the Cleveland Indians at one point and people weren't really talking about us at all," Leyland said. "They deserved it. They worked hard. They stuck together. There are special moments you can't put a price tag on and you just
enjoy them. I'm an emotional guy, we all know that."
Having won the 23rd of the last 28 games they have played, the Tigers had a lot to celebrate including being on the glorious march to the playoffs since 2006 when they won the AL wild card. The fact that the Detroit Tigers had not finished on
top since 1987 when they won the AL East, this is for the first time in over two decades that they are doing it.
"I have a very special satisfaction. A lot of people probably didn't think I'd be managing the Tigers next year," Leyland said. "We were fortunate, because we were the team this year that met the challenge. We were almost spotless."
The Athletics, after winning the first game 6-1, started the game rather aggressively once again on Friday. It was Josh Willingham who went against Doug Fister to homer, giving the Athletics an early 1-0 lead.
The lead could not go for long as Trevor Cahill could not put a hold on Don Kelly of the Tigers whose single to right levelled the score. Both starters of their respective teams successfully pitched strong innings to contain the hitters.
However, Wilson Betemit of the Tigers went for one-run triple to deep right-centre to establish the lead for the Tigers which was taken to 3-1 in the seventh inning by another homer coming off Don Kelly’s bat.
The 3-1 lead was then perfectly safe for the Tigers considering the fastballs Doug Fister threw with remarkable accuracy and precision. Fister allowed only a run in his 8.3 inning spell while Valverde was tasked with pitching the ninth. He converted it into
his 47th save of the season to get the Tigers a decent 3-1 win.
The Tigers are having a tremendous season and the fact that they have finished at the top of the American League is a testament to their hard work and competitive team-work.
Tags: