Tigers, Reds win division series openers

DETROIT: The Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 3-1 while the Cincinnati Reds won 5-2 at the San Francisco Giants on Saturday, claiming victories in the opening games of their divisional series in the Major League Baseball playoffs.
Detroit starter Justin Verlander shut down Oakland after a leadoff homer. He matched his career postseason high with 11 strikeouts.
That made up for Coco Crisp’s home run that had silenced the Comerica Park crowd just one batter into the game.
Alex Avila homered in the fifth inning for Detroit, which took the early advantage in the best-of-five series.
The Tigers are the first home side to win in the playoffs, with both Atlanta and Texas beaten in the sudden-death wild-card games while the Giants were beaten by the Reds.
Cincinnati overcame the loss of starter Johnny Cueto to a back injury in the first inning.
Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer in the third and Jay Bruce added a solo drive leading off the fourth as San Francisco starter Matt Cain allowed his first career postseason earned runs, having gone untouched during the Giants’ World Series season of 2010.
Detroit ace Verlander, as usual, seemed stronger in the later innings, striking out the side in the sixth and the first two hitters of the seventh.
“Early on was kind of a bit of a battle for me,” Verlander said. “Just kind of found my rhythm a little bit and was able to hit my spots better, and I started throwing my breaking ball for strikes a little bit better too.”
Game 2 is Sunday, with Doug Fister taking the mound for Detroit and left-hander Tommy Milone for Oakland. Then the series shifts to the West Coast.
“It’s always important to get Game 1. The way it is now, obviously, it’s nice starting here but to play the last three games in Oakland is definitely tough,” Avila said. “Every game’s important, but it felt real good to get one out of the way.”
The American League Central-champion Tigers, in consecutive postseasons for the first time since 1934-35, responded to Crisp’s shock run by tying the game in the bottom of the first inning. Austin Jackson hit a lead-off double and moved ot third on Quintin Berry’s single.
Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera, who went 0 for 3 with a walk, grounded into a double play, but Jackson came home to make it 1-1.
Detroit went ahead in the third. Oakland pitcher Jarrod Parker came off the mound to field Berry’s soft grounder, but lost control of the ball trying to scoop it up with his glove, allowing Omar Infante to score.
Avila’s solo homer made it 3-1, and the A’s couldn’t take advantage of Verlander’s rising pitch count and the closest the visitors came to getting back into it was when Brandon Moss’ long shot was caught at the wall.
In San Francisco, the Giants hopes would have soared when Cueto gingerly hobbled off the field but Sam Le Cure, Mat Latos and three other relievers stepped in to keep the home team’s lineup in check.
Reds manager Dusty Baker earned an emotional win in his return for the playoffs 10 years after managing the Giants within six outs of a championship. He also back managing this week after 11 games off following a mini-stroke.
Game 2 is Sunday, with right-hander Bronson Arroyo (12-10) taking the ball for the Reds against San Francisco lefty Madison Bumgarner (16-11).
After Phillips and Bruce’s longshots gave the Reds an early 3-0 buffer, Buster Posey stirred the hopes of home fans with a solo homer leading off the sixth.
But the Giants could not sustain the challenge, only mustering a threat in the ninth when they loaded the bases with one out. Cincinnati closer Aroldis Chapman allowed in one run with a wild threat, but then struck out Posey to end it, with runners on second and third.