Tigers 5, Athletics 4: Don Kelly's walk off sacrifice fly gives Tigers wild come from behind win, 2-0 ALDS lead

Utility man Don Kelly was designated for assignment in August. Come October, Kelly scores the game-tying run and drives home the winner in game 2 of the ALDS.

Don Kelly's walk-off sacrifice sends Tigers to Oakland with 2-0 lead in ALDS

DON KELLY!

The Tiger who lost his place on the 40-man roster this summer and made his return in September hit a tie-breaking walk-off sacrifice fly Sunday to give Detroit a 5-4 victory in the ALDS.

Detroit has a 2-0 lead in the ALDS as it heads to Oakland to resume play Tuesday.

DON KELLY, hero wizard!

Singles by Omar Infante and Miguel Cabrera to open the ninth gave the Tigers the opportunity. Prince Fielder was walked intentionally.

Kelly lofted an 0-1 pitch into the air to right field, and it was over.

Earlier the game went back and forth, with Detroit answering each time Oakland scored before adding the game-winner.

The starters in this game combined to allow three runs in a game that had both defensive miscues and normally-reliable bullpens making a mess.

Seven of the nine runs the teams combined for came in the seventh inning or later. A few came on wild pitches.

The highlight you'll see -- and yet another moment for the A's that will be replayed when tales of their woe are told -- came in the seventh inning. Down by a run but with runners on, Cabrera hit what was not an automatic out but an out that could have been made. Coco Crisp running in for the basket catch could only watch in horror as the ball caromed to the ground. Detroit led 3-2.

Down again in the eighth, the Tigers got the first two runners on, bunting them to second and third. With two outs on the board, the A's may have escaped if not for a bounced pitch that went to the backstop. Tie game.

Fister gave up two runs on six hits in seven innings. A's starter Tommy Milone allowed just one run in six innings.

Joaquin Benoit asked his Tigers teammates to bail him out after allowing a run to score on a bounced pitch, then allowing the A's to go ahead with a solo home run.

Al Alburquerque got the win for Detroit, throwing just three pitches, receiving the last back at the mound, kissing the ball and delivering it to first base for the final out in the top of the ninth.

ALDS Game 2 Overflow Thread #3: A's at Tigers

Ok let's win now.

ALDS Game 2 Overflow Thread #2: A's at Tigers

Ugh.

ALDS Game 2 Overflow Thread: A's at Tigers

ALL HAIL AVISAIL GARCIA

ALDS Game 2, A's at Tigers: 12:07 p.m.

It's the A's at Tigers in game 2 of the ALDS. The Tigers try to take a 2-0 stranglehold in the 5 game series while the A's attempt to retake home field advantage!

ALDS Game 2 Lineups: Athletics at Tigers

Athletics:

1. Coco Crisp, CF

2. Stephen Drew, SS

3. Yoenis Cespedes, LF

4. Brandon Moss, 1B

5. Josh Reddick, RF

6. Josh Donaldson, 3B

7. Seth Smith, DH

8. George Kottaras, C

9. Cliff Pennington, 2B

Tigers:

1. Austin Jackson, CF

2. Omar Infante, 2B

3. Miguel Cabrera, 3B

4. Prince Fielder, 1B

5. Delmon Young, DH

6. Jhonny Peralta, SS

7. Andy Dirks, LF

8. Avisail Garcia, RF

9. Gerald Laird, C

ALDS Game 2 Preview: Athletics at Tigers

Doug Fister will look to put the Tigers up 2-0 in today's early start against the Oakland Athletics.