Anderson pitches A’s past Tigers to avoid sweep
ASSOCIATED PRESS October 9, 2012 11:01PM
DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 07: Coco Crisp #4 of the Oakland Athletics is tagged out at home Gerald Laird #9 of the Detroit Tigers in the top of the third inning during Game Two of the American League Division Series at Comerica Park on October 7, 2012 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) *** BESTPIX ***
OAKLAND, Calif. — Brett Anderson outdueled fellow playoff first-timer Anibal Sanchez and received stellar defense all over the diamond, and the upstart Oakland Athletics avoided another playoff sweep by Detroit, beating the Tigers 2-0 Tuesday night in their AL division series.
The A’s cut their deficit in the best-of-five matchup to 2-1.
Coco Crisp saved a likely home run by Prince Fielder with a leaping catch at the top of the center-field wall in the second — and the A’s will play another day in this improbable season full of remarkable rallies.
Yoenis Cespedes hit an RBI single in the first inning and Seth Smith homered later. That was plenty on a night Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, Fielder and the Tigers’ high-priced offense were shut down by the low-budget A’s.
