Round 1 - #15 Detroit upsets #2 New York (AL) in 4

2017-18 Holiday Festival Round 1

AL #2 Seed – New York Yankees (91-71)

AL #15 Seed – Detroit Tigers (64-98)

GAME 1 @ Yankee Stadium

Michael Fulmer (10-12, 3.83 ERA) vs Luis Severino (14-6, 2.98 ERA)

Detroit wins 1-0 in 14 innings

WP – Warwick Saupold (1-0) – 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 K, 0 BB

LP – Tyler Clippard (0-1) – 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 HR, 1 BB

SV- none

HR- Alex Avila (1)

MVP – Michael Fulmer (9.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 K, No Decision)

Michael Fulmer (9.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 4 K) and Luis Severino (6 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 10 K) were both on their games to kick off the series.  Fulmer used the double play ball to get himself out of 4 innings and to keep his pitch count low enough to allow him to stick around until the 10th inning.  Severino allowed just 2 walks before exiting in the 7th without allowing a hit.  The Yankee bullpen put up 7 shutout innings with 8 strikeouts to keep the game tied heading to the 14th.  But Alex Avila (1-4, R, RBI, HR, 2 BB)) hit a lead off HR in the 14th off Luis Cessa and that run would stand up as the Tigers stole game 1 of the series.  The Yankees would hit into 6 double plays for the game and despite going 14 innings and not scoring the Yanks had just 2 men left on base for the game.   Warwick Saupold pitched the final inning and two-thirds without allowing a run or hit to pick up the win for Detroit.

GAME 2 @ Yankee Stadium

Justin Verlander (10-8, 3.82 ERA) vs CC Sabathia (14-5, 3.69 ERA)

Detroit wins 6-2

WP – Justin Verlander (1-0) – 6.2 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 9 K

LP – CC Sabathia (0-1) – 6 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 2 BB, 5 K

SV- none

HR- Aaron Judge (1)

MVP – Justin Upton (3-4, R, RBI, 2 2B)

After 14 innings and only 1 run, both teams scored in the 1st inning of this one.  But it was the Tigers that built off the early momentum by adding 4 more runs in the 4th to the 2 they scored in the first.  The Yankees would score 1 in the 5th but would not be able to get any closer as the Tigers sent the Yankee faithful home with nothing to cheer for.  Justin Wilson (2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 4 K) was specatacular in relief of Verlander to nail down the game 2 win for the visitors.

GAME 3 @ Comerica Park

Matt Boyd (6-11, 5.27 ERA) vs Sonny Gray (4-7, 3.72 ERA)

NY Yankees win 8-2

WP – Sonny Gray (1-0) – 5.2 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 6 K

LP – Matt Boyd (0-1) – 5 IP 7 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K

SV- none

HR- Chris Carter (1), JD Martinez (1)

MVP – Chris Carter (2-4, 2 R, 2 RBI, HR)

The visitors continued their dominance in this series as the Yankees stayed alive in Detroit.  The middle of the Yankee order was the difference with Gary Sanchez (3-4, 2 RBI, 2B), Did Gregorius (2-5, RBI), and Starlin Castro (2-4, R, RBI, BB, 2B) pacing the offense.  Adam Warren (1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 3 K) recorded some big outs in the 6th and 7th to keep the Tigers from smelling a comeback and Luis Cessa recorded the final 6 outs to close it out.

GAME 4 @ Comerica Park

Jordan Zimmerman (8-13, 6.08 ERA) vs Masahiro Tanaka (13-12, 4.74 ERA))

Detroit wins 4-2 and wins series 3 games to 1

WP – Jordan Zimmerman (5 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 3 BB, 6 K

LP – Masahiro Tanaka (5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 1 BB, 7 K

SV- Shane Greene (1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K)

HR- Greg Bird (1), Nick Castellanos (1)

MVP – Nick Castellanos (1-4, 1 R, 2 RBI, HR)

With a chance to close out the series, the Tigers put a 3 spot up in the first inning thanks to a 2 run HR by Nick Castellanos.  Detroit handed the ball to Jordan Zimmerman for the game with the hope that the former top of the staff pitcher could give them 5 innings and give them a chance.  Zimmerman turned back the clock allowing just 1 run thru 5 strong innings and had reason to be upset when the ball was handed over to the bullpen in the 6th.   With a 4-1 lead in the 6th, Warwick Saupold allowed a long HR to Greg Bird that gave the Yanks a little life.  But Justin Wilson (2.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 4 K) came in for 7 outs and Shane Greene closed the game and the series out with a 1-2-3 9th inning.  Jose Iglesias notched 3 hits, including 2 doubles and scored 2 runs for the lead off spot to spark the Tigers offense.

The Tigers were fortunate to get past a tough Yankees squad coached by Michael Hopcroft.  It is not often that a team that hits .190 over 4 games comes out victorious but with a staff ERA of 2.30 paired with some timely hits, the Tigers had the winning formula.

SERIES MVP – Justin Wilson – 2 Games, 5 Innings, 0 Hits, 0 Runs, 1 Walk, 9 Strikeouts. 

--Submitted by Peter Daly--