Tigers And Dodgers Win LCS Games – MLB Roundup For Oct. 17th

DETROIT (AP) — Detroit manager Jim Leyland (LEE'-lind) shook up the Tigers batting order, and it paid immediate dividends. As a result the American League championship series is all even at two games apiece.

Torii Hunter had a two-run double and Miguel Cabrera drove in two runs after Leyland dropped Austin Jackson to eighth in the order and moved everyone else up a place following the Tigers' 1-0 loss in Game 3. Jackson drew a bases-loaded walk off Jake Peavy for the first run of Detroit's five-run second inning.

Doug Fister allowed a run in six innings, striking out seven. The Tigers, who lost a 5-0 lead in Game 2, kept the Red Sox at bay this time.

Game 5 is at Comerica Park Thursday night. It's a matchup of 15-game winners in the regular season, Boston's Jon Lester against Detroit's Anibal Sanchez. It's a rematch of the series opener won by Detroit.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — It got a little tight at the finish, but the Los Angeles Dodgers will certainly take it as they stay alive in the NL championship series.

Adrian Gonzalez homered twice and Zack Greinke (GREHN'-kee) gave the Dodgers the clutch pitching performance they needed in a 6-4 victory over St. Louis. That trimmed the Cardinals' lead to 3-2 in the NL championship series.

Carl Crawford and A.J. Ellis also went deep for the Dodgers, who rediscovered their power stroke just in time to save their season. They held on in the ninth. St. Louis scored twice off closer Kenley Jansen before he struck out pinch-hitter Adron Chambers with two on to end it.

The series moves to St. Louis for Friday night's Game 6 with the Cards holding a 3-2 advantage in the best-of-seven series. It's Clayton Kershaw for the Dodgers against Cards rookie Michael Wacha (WAH'-kuh). That's a pitching rematch of Game 2 when the Cardinals won 1-0 on an unearned run.

ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Don Baylor is returning to the Los Angeles Angels to be their hitting coach. He's been hired to replace Jim Eppard, who wasn't retained by manager Mike Scioscia (SOH'-shuh).

The 64-year-old Baylor had been Arizona's hitting coach for the past three years. He is the former manager of the Rockies and Cubs.

Baylor won the AL MVP award while playing for the Angels in 1979, batting .296 with 36 homers and 139 RBIs.