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In Game 2 of the ALCS last night, the Tigers were cruising, seemingly on their way to a 2-0 series lead. Max Scherzer struck out 13 in 7 innings, allowing just 1 run, and becoming only the 11th pitcher in history with two 10+ strikeout games in the same postseason (the only man with three in one year: Cliff Lee). Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila each homered and It was 5-1 Detroit in the bottom of the 8th.
That's when Jim Leyland used 47 different pitchers to load the bases for David Ortiz, who promptly deposited a game-tying grand slam into the Boston bullpen, which led to this:
It was a fantastic effort by Hunter, and would have been incredible catch. It was a makable catch though, except Hunter overran the ball.
The game went to the bottom of the 9th tied, but Rick Porcello was about the only arm Detroit had left. Jonny Gomes reached on an infield single on a ball Miguel Cabrera would have fielded if he weren't basically stuck in concrete at this point. Gomes reached second on the play because shortstop Jose Iglesias tried to do too much and bounced a throw to first, and because Prince Fielder couldn't knock it down. Next, Jarrod Saltalamacchia hit a fly ball near the first base seats, which might have been caught, if not for a bit of fan interference (Fielder probably still should have caught it).
Just after the ball ended up in the seats, a young Boston fan provided one of the greatest troll jobs in history:
"Hi, Prince Fielder."
Gomes went to third when the next pitch was in the dirt, then scored on a hit that only got through because the infield had to be drawn in on account of the runner on 3rd.
Cabrera, Iglesias, and Fielder combined to put Gomes on 1st and then 2nd. Fielder, a few Red Sox fans, Porcello, and Avila put Gomes on 3rd, and the rest was inevitable. I bet Omar Infante was just shaking his head at everyone.
Hooray for relief pitching! Huzzah for defense! Tonight, despite Max Scherzer being a wizard on the mound these days, Detroit's chickens came home to roost.