ALDS: Justin Verlander Leads Tigers Past A's; NLDS: Reds Take Game One over Giants as Brandon Phillips Shines

Players of the Day for Saturday, October 6, 2012

American League

Detroit took game one of their best-of-five series with Oakland, winning, 3-1, behind the pitching of ace starter, Justin Verlander.

Justin Verlander

Tagged by Coco Crisp with a leadoff home run, Verlander quickly settled down, allowing just two more hits over seven full innings, fanning 11 and walking four. Meanwhile, the Tigers scored single runs in the first, third and fifth innings, the final run coming on an Alex Avila solo homer.

Dating back to 2006, it was Verlander's ninth post-season start, improving his playoff record to 4-3.

Game two is set for Sunday at 12:07 pm EDT at Detroit. The Orioles and Yankees begin their best-of-five divisional series Sunday at 6:07 pm, in Baltimore.


National League

The Cincinnati Reds won their first post-season game since 1995, taking down the Giants, 5-2, in San Francisco.

Brandon Phillips

Reds' starter, Johnny Cueto, threw just eight pitches before leaving the game with back spasms. Cueto got Angel Pagan on strikes, but could not continue, so a parade of Reds relievers continued, holding the Giants to just two earned runs on seven hits over the final 8 2/3 innings.

Brandon Phillips supplied more than enough offense, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer in the third inning and an insurance RBI single in the ninth.

Jay Bruce's solo shot in the fourth put the Reds up 3-0. Xavier Paul scored on a passed ball in the ninth to complete the scoring for Cincinnati.

San Francisco's two runs came on a sixth-inning solo home run by Buster Posey and Joaquin Arias score on a wild pitch in the ninth.

The series resumes Sunday with game two in San Francisco at 9:37 pm EDT.

The Nationals and Cardinals open their best-of-five divisional series Sunday in St. Louis. Game time is 3:07 pm EDT.