2006 American League Championship Series

Infobox LCS
alcs = yes


year = 2006
champion = Detroit Tigers (4)
champion_manager = Jim Leyland
champion_games = 95-67, .586, GB: 1
runnerup = Oakland Athletics (0)
runnerup_manager = Ken Macha
runnerup_games = 93-69, .574, GA: 4
date = October 10–October 14
MVP = Plácido Polanco (Detroit)
television = FOX
announcers = Thom Brennaman, Steve Lyons (Game 1-3)†, José Mota (Game 4), and Lou Piniella
radio_network = ESPN Radio
radio_announcers = Jon Miller and Joe Morgan
umpires = Jerry Crawford, Hunter Wendelstedt, Derryl Cousins, Chuck Meriwether, Gary Cederstrom, Mike Reilly
LDS1 = Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees (3-1)
LDS2 = Oakland Athletics over Minnesota Twins (3-0)The 2006 American League Championship Series (ALCS) was the second round of the 2006 American League playoffs; it began on October 10 and ended on October 14. The Detroit Tigers defeated the Oakland Athletics 4 games to 0 to advance to the 2006 World Series, and became the fourth AL team to win ten pennants, joining the New York Yankees (39), Athletics (15) and Boston Red Sox (11). Magglio Ordóñez's game-winning walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth inning of Game 4 sealed the pennant for the Tigers. Including this year's ALCS, the last five AL pennant winners have been different. (2006 Tigers, 2005 White Sox, 2004 Red Sox, 2003 Yankees, and 2002 Angels).

The Athletics had defeated the Minnesota Twins, three games to none, in AL Division Series, and the Tigers had defeated the Yankees, three games to one. The Tigers faced the National League champion St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series, but fell to them, 4 games to 1.Oakland had home-field advantage (despite Detroit having a better record) because Oakland was a division champion, but they effectively lost the advantage by losing Games 1 and 2 at home. Detroit hosted Games 3 and 4.

The Athletics were seeking their first AL pennant since 1990, while the Tigers captured the league title for the first time since their 1984 World Series championship year. The series was a rematch of the 1972 American League Championship Series, in which Oakland defeated Detroit in 5 games (then a best-of-five series). Detroit manager Jim Leyland, who led the Florida Marlins to the 1997 World Series title, became the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both leagues.

†: Lyons commentated through Game 3, but was fired by FOX for comments, which the network deemed insensitive to Piniella's Latino background. [ [http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/baseball/mlb/specials/playoffs/2006/10/14/bc.bba.alcs.fox.lyonsfi.ap/ FOX dismisses Lyons for racially insensitive comment] , Associated Press. October 14 2006.]

ummary

Detroit Tigers vs. Oakland Athletics

Detroit wins the series, 4-0

Game summaries

Game 1

Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Detroit|RoadAbr=DET
R1=0|R2=0|R3=2|R4=3|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=5|RH=11|RE=1
Home=Oakland|HomeAbr=OAK
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=0|H6=0|H7=0|H8=1|H9=0|HR=1|HH=8|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Nate Robertson (1-0)|LP=Barry Zito (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Iván Rodríguez (1), Brandon Inge (1)|HomeHR=|

Oakland was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit turned four double plays (both are LCS records). Tigers first baseman Sean Casey left the game in the bottom of the sixth inning due to an apparent leg injury.

Game 2

Wednesday, October 11, 2006 at Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, CaliforniaLinescore
Road=Detroit|RoadAbr=DET
R1=0|R2=1|R3=0|R4=4|R5=0|R6=2|R7=0|R8=0|R9=1|RR=8|RH=11|RE=0
Home=Oakland|HomeAbr=OAK
H1=1|H2=0|H3=2|H4=0|H5=0|H6=1|H7=1|H8=0|H9=0|HR=5|HH=11|HE=1
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Justin Verlander (1-0)|LP=Esteban Loaiza (0-1)|SV=Todd Jones (1)
RoadHR=Curtis Granderson (1), Alexis Gómez (1)|HomeHR=Milton Bradley 2 (2), Eric Chavez (1)|

Detroit used a four-run fourth inning to erase a 3-1 deficit to take a 2–0 lead in the series. Detroit survived two home runs by Milton Bradley and a bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning to escape with a win. The game was overshadowed by the tragic death of New York Yankees pitcher Cory Lidle in a plane crash in New York City. Lidle pitched for the Athletics from 2001–2002. Since the ALCS has been increased to a seven-game series, no team has come back to win the series after losing the first two games at home.

Game 3

Friday, October 13, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MichiganLinescore
Road=Oakland|RoadAbr=OAK
R1=0|R2=0|R3=0|R4=0|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=0|RH=2|RE=0
Home=Detroit|HomeAbr=DET
H1=2|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=1|H6=0|H7=0|H8=0|H9=X|HR=3|HH=6|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Kenny Rogers (1-0)|LP=Rich Harden (0-1)|SV=Todd Jones (2)
RoadHR=|HomeHR=Craig Monroe (1)|

Oakland infielder Mark Kiger, who substituted for injured second baseman Mark Ellis in the ALCS, became the first player in modern baseball history to make his major-league debut in a postseason game. [ [http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/baseball/20061014-9999-1s14alcsnote.html Kiger says historic debut with A's spoiled by loss] . Jenkins, Chris, The San Diego Union-Tribune. October 14 2006] Kenny Rogers also continued to dominate, not allowing the A's to score once for his second victory in the postseason. Todd Jones picked up his second save.

Game 4

Saturday, October 14, 2006 at Comerica Park in Detroit, MichiganLinescore
Road=Oakland|RoadAbr=OAK
R1=2|R2=0|R3=0|R4=1|R5=0|R6=0|R7=0|R8=0|R9=0|RR=3|RH=8|RE=1
Home=Detroit|HomeAbr=DET
H1=0|H2=0|H3=0|H4=0|H5=2|H6=1|H7=0|H8=0|H9=3|HR=6|HH=11|HE=0
RSP=|HSP=
WP=Wilfredo Ledezma (1-0)|LP=Huston Street (0-1)|SV=
RoadHR=Jay Payton (1)|HomeHR=Magglio Ordóñez 2 (2)|

In Game 4, the A's took a 2-0 lead in the first on RBI doubles from Eric Chavez and Milton Bradley. Jay Payton homered in the 4th to make it 3-0. In the 5th, however, the Tigers rallied. Curtis Granderson and Craig Monroe both hit RBI doubles to make it 3-2 Oakland, and Magglio Ordóñez homered in the 6th to tie the game 3-3. In the bottom of the 9th with two outs, Ordonez launched a three-run walk-off home-run off Huston Street to win the game and advance the Tigers to the 2006 World Series. Ordonez's blast was the first pennant winning home run since Aaron Boone's in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS.

Composite Box

2006 ALCS (4-0): Detroit Tigers over Oakland AthleticsLinescore
Road=Detroit Tigers
R1=2|R2=1|R3=2|R4=7|R5=3|R6=3|R7=0|R8=0|R9=4|RR=22|RH=39|RE=1
Home=Oakland Athletics
H1=3|H2=0|H3=2|H4=1|H5=0|H6=1|H7=1|H8=1|H9=0|HR=9|HH=29|HE=3Total Attendance: 156,459 Average Attendance: 39,115|

Quotes

"IN THE AIR TO LEFT FIELD! THE TIGERS MARCH TO THE WORLD SERIES! They celebrated twenty-two years ago today as World Series champions! And October the 14th, 2006, the Detroit Tigers are American League Champions!" - Thom Brennaman, calling Magglio Ordóñez's ALCS walk-off home run in Game 4.

"Swing and a fly ball, left field, IT'S DEEP, IT'S WAAAY BACK! THE TIGERS ARE GOING TO THE WORLD SERIES!" Dan Dickerson, calling Magglio Ordóñez's walkoff over the air on WXYT Detroit.

Notes