The Detroit Tigers beat the Oakland Athletics 5-4 in Sunday's game, to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five American League Division Championship.
Don Kelly performed brilliantly with the baseball bat, scoring a run in the eighth inning before his sacrifice fly in the ninth inning helped the Tigers taste their second straight victory against A's.
"I just did it," Kelly said. "It was the emotion of the game. I wasn't trying to be a hot dog."
The Tigers will certainly be aiming for a sweep of the division series in their third game against the Athletics Tuesday.
Josh Reddick, the Oakland outfielder was disappointed with Tiger reliever Al Alburquerque kissing the baseball, after taking a ground ball to get out unscathed in the final inning. "We didn't appreciate that," Reddick said. "I thought it was immature and not very professional. You don't do that on the field. Save it for the dugout. That's all I'm going to say."
Miguel Cabrera, the Triple Crown winner doubled twice for Detroit -- hitting a fly ball that was dropped by Crisp for two runs, and later singling in the ninth.
Cabrera and Omar Infante hit back-to-back singles off Grant Balfour with one out in the ninth while Kelly stayed in the game as the Tigers' designated hitter after pinch running the previous inning.
Kelly said: "Was looking for a fastball and I got it. It's a great feeling, to be able to go out there in that situation and do that."
For Kelly, it was another great playoff moment. He had hit a home run against the New York Yankees last year when the Tigers beat them in the decisive fifth game of the division series
Manager Jim Leyland said: "It takes everybody to contribute and we got contributions from everybody."
As for Oakland, it was their sixth consecutive postseason loss. They were swept by the Tigers in the 2006 AL championship series.
Oakland manager Bob Melvin said: "We just need to win a game. If you start thinking about three games ahead, you lose your focus on Tuesday's game."
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