2006 American League Division Series

The American League Division Series (ALDS), the opening round of the 2006 American League playoffs, began on Tuesday, October 3, and ended on Saturday, October 7, with the champions of the three AL divisions – along with a "wild card" team – participating in two best-of-five series. They were:

• (1) New York Yankees (Eastern Division champions, 97-65) vs. (4) Detroit Tigers (Wild Card, 95-67); Tigers win series, 3-1.
• (2) Minnesota Twins (Central Division champions, 96-66) vs. (3) Oakland Athletics (Western Division champions, 93-69); Athletics win series, 3-0.

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which was determined by playing record.

The Athletics and Tigers met in the AL Championship Series, where a Detroit sweep made the Tigers the American League champions. The Tigers then faced the St. Louis Cardinals in the 2006 World Series, and lost, four games to one, despite having home-field advantage.

Playoff race

The AL playoff race of 2006 was unusually dramatic, with the last divisional championship and the wild card berth undecided until the final day of the season, and the most unlikely of all of the AL's playoff contenders taking the top spot in the AL Central and the second seed.

In the AL East, the New York Yankees (97-65) clinched the division when the Boston Red Sox were eliminated from the playoffs by the Minnesota Twins (96-66) on September 20. The Oakland Athletics (92-69) clinched the AL West on September 26, and in the AL Central, the Twins won the division by a single game over the Wild Card Detroit Tigers (95-67) after Detroit – who had led the division for the entire season – lost their last five games. Minnesota had set a torrid pace since June 7, after a horrible start. The Twins sewed up their playoff berth with an 8-1 win over the Kansas City Royals. They clinched the Central Division title, their fourth in five years, with a 5-1 victory and a 10-8 Detroit loss to the Royals on the last day of the season. The Twins' 96-66 mark is their best since the 98-64 AL West Champion Twins of 1970.

Matchups

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Detroit wins the series, 3-1

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Detroit Tigers - 4, New York Yankees - 8	October 3	Yankee Stadium	56,291
2	Detroit Tigers - 4, New York Yankees - 3	October 5†	Yankee Stadium	56,252
3	New York Yankees - 0, Detroit Tigers - 6	October 6	Comerica Park	43,440
4	New York Yankees - 3, Detroit Tigers - 8	October 7	Comerica Park	43,126

†: Game was postponed due to rain on October 4

Minnesota Twins vs. Oakland Athletics

Oakland wins the series, 3-0

Game	Score	Date	Location	Attendance
1	Oakland Athletics - 3, Minnesota Twins - 2	October 3	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	55,542
2	Oakland Athletics - 5, Minnesota Twins - 2	October 4	Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome	55,710
3	Minnesota Twins - 3, Oakland Athletics - 8	October 6	Network Associates Coliseum	35,694

New York vs. Detroit

Game 1, October 3

Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

A five-run third inning by the Yankees put the game out of reach for the Tigers. Bobby Abreu doubled to score Johnny Damon and Derek Jeter (who was 5 for 5). Gary Sheffield then singled in Abreu, and Jason Giambi launched a two-run home run for a commanding 5-0 lead. In the 5th, the Tigers got on the board with a solo home run from Craig Monroe, then scored two more runs to make a 5-3 Yankees, but Chien-Ming Wang struck out Magglio Ordóñez to end the inning. The Yankees added to their lead with two runs in the sixth and a home run from Jeter in the 8th. The Tigers only got one more run, via a solo shot from Curtis Granderson.

Game 2, October 5

Yankee Stadium in New York, New York

Game 2, was postponed for one day due to rain. In the second inning, Marcus Thames doubled to bring home Craig Monroe, giving the Tigers a 1-0 lead. In the 4th, Johnny Damon launched a three-run home run off Justin Verlander to give the Yankees a 3-1 lead. That would be last time the Yankees would lead in the series and score until Game 4. Jamie Walker (who earned the victory in relief) and Joel Zumaya shut the Yanks down for the rest of the game. The Tigers clawed their way back in off Mike Mussina. In the 5th, a sacrifice-fly from Curtis Granderson scored Thames to the cut the lead to one. Next inning, Carlos Guillén homered to tie the game and in the 7th, Granderson tripled in Thames to give the Tigers a 4-3 lead. In the 9th, Todd Jones earned the save by getting Johnny Damon to fly out to center with one man on to end the game and even the series.

Game 3, October 6

Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan

Feeding off a crowd witnessing its first playoff game in 19 years, Detroit pitcher Kenny Rogers pitched 7 2-3 innings of scoreless ball, earning a victory and standing ovation from the Comerica Park crowd in a 6-0 Tiger win. Rogers was throwing as hard as 92 mph in the 8th inning, topping usual top speed by 3-4 mph. Joel Zumaya used his 103 mph arm to close out the inning, and Todd Jones closed the game for the second time (but did not earn a save, as the Tigers were not in a save situation).

Game 4, October 7

Comerica Park in Detroit, Michigan

Detroit finished off New York behind another dominating pitching performance, this time by Jeremy Bonderman in an 8-3 clinching win. In the second inning, Magglio Ordóñez and Craig Monroe homered off Jaret Wright to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead. After giving up an unearned run in the 3rd, Wright was replaced by Cory Lidle, who ended the inning without further damage, pitched a perfect 4th, but allowed two runs in the 5th. Brian Bruney and Scott Proctor each allowed a Tiger run to put the game out of reach. Bonderman, meanwhile, pitched a no-hitter from the 1st-5th innings. Robinson Canó singled in the 6th for the Yankees' first hit, but Bonderman prevented any further damage. The Yankees ended their 20-inning shutout streak with a Hideki Matsui RBI. Bonderman left the game in the 9th inning with one on and one out. Jamie Walker gave up a two-run homer to Jorge Posada in the 9th before getting Robinson Canó to ground out to end the game and send the Tigers to the 2006 ALCS against the Oakland Athletics. The game is also notable as Corey Lidle made his final appearance before his death in an airplane crash a few days later, and for the final ALDS game televised by FOX (due to the new TV contracts), at least for the foreseeable future.

Composite Box

2006 ALDS (3-1): Detroit Tigers over New York Yankees

Minnesota vs. Oakland

Game 1, October 3

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The A's came into the series as a major underdog, and they had to face arguably the best pitcher in the majors in Johan Santana. Also working against Oakland, Minnesota's Metrodome is regarded as one of the toughest places to play in all of baseball. Frank Thomas hit two home runs, and Barry Zito outdueled Santana to give the A's a shocking Game 1 victory.

Game 2, October 4

Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis, Minnesota

The A's followed their Game 1 victory with an even more shocking victory in Game 2. An RBI double in the fifth inning by A's short stop Marco Scutaro scored Nick Swisher to give the A's the lead, which was followed by a single from Jason Kendall to score Scutaro. The Twins would tie the game up in the sixth inning off back-to-back home runs from Michael Cuddyer and Justin Morneau to chase Oakland starter Esteban Loaiza. In the seventh, and Kendall on first base, Oakland's Mark Kotsay hit a hard line drive to center field. Torii Hunter, an accomplished defensive player, misplayed the ball and it knuckled beneath Hunter's diving reach. The ball rolled all the way to the wall, allowing Kotsay to score for a two-run inside-the-park home run, and give the Athletics a commanding lead in the series.

Game 3, October 6

Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland, California

The A's have had a difficult time in winning games when they have the opportunity to eliminate an opponent in the postseason, leaving many to question if the team would choke another time. All questions were answered when Oakland scored twice in the second when Eric Chavez hit a home run and Marco Scutaro added another RBI double in the series. The A's added two more runs in the third when Mark Kotsay scored on a home run by Milton Bradley to deep center field. Scutaro would add insurance runs for the A's in the seventh inning from a 3-RBI double, giving the A's a 8-2 lead and Scutaro his sixth RBI in three games as Oakland swept the Twins with the 8-3 victory. This game was also notable in that Twins pitcher Brad Radke made his final career appearance.

Composite Box

2006 ALDS (3-0): Oakland Athletics over Minnesota Twins

Quotes

• "The 3-1...line shot center field, coming on Hunter, that's gonna drop down, HE DIVES AND MISSES IT! It's gonna bounce and roll all the way to the warning track and up against the wall. The run will score, Kendall is in, here comes Kotsay, rounding third, the throw home won't get him! Mark Kotsay comes all the way in, an inside-the-parker! A stunning development here in Minnesota!" - Dave O'Brien after Mark Kotsay hit an inside-the-park home run during game 2 of the ALDS for the Oakland Athletics
• "On the ground, second base...listen to them roar! Tigers in four!" - Josh Lewin
• "Popped up, there's Payton...and the Oakland Athletics have swept the Minnesota Twins! It is on to the American League Championship Series for the A's. The opportunity to clinch and, this time, Oakland does not stumble. The A's win it three in a row." - Dave O'Brien
• ""The 2-2 pitch...A fly ball to left! This is going to do it! Jay Payton is there! He makes the catch! The A's are moving on! The A's have won the series, they've swept the Twins and the A's move on to the ALCS! And they're going nuts at the Coliseum!"" -Ken Korach, A's radio.
• "And that bat, like Alex Rodriguiez's psyche, is lying in shatters on the dirt." - Josh Lewin after Marcus Thames' broken bat single for the Tigers in game 4. Rodriguez hit a paltry .069 in the series and committed 1 fielding error.

Notes

External links

• Oakland-Minnesota at Baseball-Reference
• Detroit-New York at Baseball-Reference