Tigers sweep Yankees, head to World Series

Detroit Tigers head to World Series for 1st time since 2006

DETROIT – The Detroit Tigers beat the New York Yankees 8-1 Thursday night in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series and are headed back to the World Series for the second time in seven years.

The Tigers grabbed their 11th American League Pennant as they knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs for the second-straight year.

Delmon Young won the ALCS MVP Award.

Detroit's last trip to the Worlds Series was in 2006 when they lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in five games.

The Tigers could face the Cardinals again in the Series. They lead their National League Championship Series 2-1 over the San Francisco Giants. Those teams play NLCS Game 4 Thursday night.

Watch: Interview: Prince Fielder after ALCS Game 4
Watch: Interview: Justin Verlander after ALCS Game 4
Watch: Interview: Max Scherzer after ALCS Game 4
Watch: Interview: Miguel Cabrera after ALCS Game 4

Game 4 recap:

Pitching matchup: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2-0, 1.53 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (0-0, 0.00)

1st inning:

Ichiro Suzuki led off with an infield fly ball for the first out of the game. Scherzer got Nick Swisher to strike out swinging. Robinson Cano foul tipped one into the catcher's glove to end the side.

Austin Jackson popped one up for the first out. Omar Infante grounded to third but beat the throw for a base hit. Miguel Cabrera flew out to left for the second out. Infante stayed at 1st base. Prince Fielder singled to get Infante to 3rd base. Runners were at the corners with two outs. Delmon Young singled to right to score Infante. Jhonny Peralta struck out to end the inning, stranding two runners.

Score: Tigers 1, Yankees 0


-- The view at Comerica Park before Game 4 Thursday between the Yankees and Tigers.

2nd inning:

Mark Teixeira popped up to left field where Andy Dirks caught it in foul territory for the first out. Raul Ibanez struck out swinging. Eric Chavez fell victim to Scherzer, too, by striking out swinging to end the side.

Dirks led off the inning showing bunt. He then punched it up the middle for a lead-off single. Avisail Garcia tried for the sacrifice bunt but Dirks was thrown out at 2nd base. Garcia was safe at 1st. Catcher Gerald Laird popped up to shallow right for the second out. Garcia then stole second base on a pitch to Jackson. Jackson then walked. Runners were at 1st and 2nd with two outs. Infante grounded to first, stranding two runners on base.

Score: Tigers 1, Yankees 0

3rd inning:

Russell Martin flew out to center where Jackson made the catch for out No. 1. Brett Gardner grounded out. Eduardo Nunez grounded one up the 1st base foul line where Fielder, right behind the base, couldn't make the play. Nunez was safe at 1st. Suzuki was up to bat with two outs. Nunez stole 2nd base on a pitch to Suzuki who Scherzer walked. Swisher was up with runners at 1st and 2nd and two outs. Scherzer struck him out swinging to end the side, his 5th strikeout of the game.

Cabrera flew out to right for the first out. Fielder grounded to 1st base where Teixeira couldn't make the play. Fielder was safe at 1st. Delmon Young walked. Runners were at 1st and 2nd with one out. Suzuki caught Peralta's fly ball to left for the second out. Dirks grounded to 1st base where Teixeira couldn't make the play, again, loading the bases with two outs. Garcia grounded to 2nd but was safe at 1st. Fielder scored. Laird flew out to end the inning.

Score: Tigers 2, Yankees 0

4th inning:

Cano flew out to center for the first out. Scherzer struck out Teixeira swinging and ended the side by striking out Ibanez, too.

Jackson struck out to lead off the bottom of the inning. Infante floated one to center for a 1-out single. Cabrera then blasted one out of the park for a 2-run homerun, extending the Tigers' lead to 4-0. Fielder went 1, 2, 3 for the second out. Delmon Young singled to left. Peralta then hit a 2-out, 2-run homer to extend the lead to 6-0. Dirks followed that with a double. The Yankees pulled Sabathia. He allowed 11 hits. RHP Cody Eppley entered the game with two outs. Garcia grounded to short to end the inning.

Score: Tigers 6, Yankees 0

5th inning:

Chavez struck out swinging to open the inning -- Scherzer's 8th strikeout. He then struck out Martin for his 9th K. Gardner popped up to end the side.

Laird started the bottom of the inning by grounding out. Jackson singled to left field with one out. Infante flew out for the second out. Cabrera hit one to second base but was safe at 1st. The Yankees changed pitchers. LHP Clay Rapada took the mound. Fielder grounded out to end the inning.

Score: Tigers 6, Yankees 0

6th inning:

Nunez led off with a triple, stopping Scherzer's no-hitter. Swisher got a 1-out double and scored Nunez, putting the Yankees on the board. Scherzer was pulled after walking Teixeira. Drew Smyly entered the game with two outs and runners at 1st and 3rd. Alex Rodriguez entered the game for the Yankees, pinch-hitting for Ibanez. Rodriguez flew out to center to end the side.

RHP Joba Chamberlain entered the game for the Yankees. Delmon Young flew out to right field where Swisher made the catch. Peralta grounded out. Dirks hit a 2-out single to left. Garcia hit a ground-rule double and Dirks had to hold up at 3rd base. Chamberlain got out of the inning by stopping a grounder from Laird with his leg and tossing him out at 1st.

Score: Tigers 6, Yankees 1

7th inning:

Octavio Dotel took the mound for the Tigers. Jayson Nix pinch hit for Chavez and walked on base. Curtis Granderson pinch hit for Martin, but struck out. Dotel then put away Gardner with a strikeout. Nunez flew out to center to end the side.

Jackson led off with a homerun to give the Tigers another run. Infante grounded out to 3rd base for the first out. Cabrera flew out to right field where Swisher made the catch for out No. 2. Fielder grounded out to end the inning.

Score: Tigers 7, Yankees 1

8th inning:

LHP Phil Coke took the mound for the Tigers. Suzuki grounded out. Swisher flew out to left center for the 2nd out. Cano grounded out to 1st to end the side.

David Robertson entered to pitch for the Yankees. Delmon Young grounded out. Peralta shot one over the wall in left for his second homerun of the game. Dirks then struck out. Garcia flew out to center to end the inning.

Score: Tigers 8, Yankees 1

9th inning:

Coke was still on the mound for the Tigers. Teixeira blooped to Peralta for the first out. Rodriguez grounded out. Nix popped up to end the game.

Score: Tigers 8, Yankees 1