Mike Napoli Goes 3-for-4, Leads Red Sox to 4-3 Win over Tigers in ALCS Game Five

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 17, 2013

American League

Mike Napoli went 3-for-4, while Jon Lester and three Boston relief pitchers held off the Tigers for a 4-3 Red Sox win in game five of the ALCS.

Napoli: 3-4, HR,
2B, 2R, 2RBI

Napoli's second-inning solo homer to the deepest part of center field ignited the Red Sox, plating two more in the inning. In the third, Napoli stroked a ground rule doule down the left field line, advanced to third on Johnny Gomes' ground out to Tiger starter, Anibal Sanchez, and scored when Sanchez uncorked a wild pitch.

That was the last run the Red Sox would score, the Detroit relief staff holding the Red Sox to just one hit over the final three innings. Napoli singled with two outs in the fifth, but he and David Ortiz were left stranded.

Winning game five puts Boston in an enviable position. With a three games to two lead, they need to win just one of two at Fenway Park over the weekend in order to advance to the World Series.. Game six is scheduled for Saturday at 4:30 pm EDT. If needed, game seven would be Sunday at 8:00 pm EDT.

National League

There was no National League game on Thursday. Game six of the NL championship series is 8:07 pm EDT in St. Louis, where the Cardinals lead the Dodgers, three games to two.

Today's Trivia: Who holds the career mark for most home runs in World Series play? (answer tomorrow)

Yesterday's Answer: Whitey Ford is the all-time career leader in World Series wins, with ten. Bob Gibson won seven, tied for second all time with Red Ruffing and Allie Reynolds.