Max Scherzer, Jhonny Peralta Complete Tigers' Sweep of Yankees, Advance to World Series;

Players of the Day for Thursday, October 18, 2012

American League

ALCS: Detroit 8 NY Yankees 1 - Detroit completed the four-game sweep of the collapsing Yankees to advance to the World Series with a lopsided win over New York's ace, C.C. Sabathia.

Jhonny Peralta

The Tigers hammered Sabathia for 11 hits and five earned runs (six total), chasing the starter after just 3 2/3 innings, the final blow being Jhonny Peralta's two-run homer in the fourth, which put the Tigers up, 6-0. Miguel Cabrera earlier tagged Sabathia for his own two-run shot as the Tigers plated four in the frame.

Max Scherzer

Peralta socked another home run of the solo variety in the eighth, leading the Tigers to victory with three RBI and two runs.

While his teammates were bashing New York hurlers, Max Scherzer was setting down the suddenly-impotent Yankees with alacrity, taking a no-hit bid into the sixth inning, fanning ten while allowing just two hits, two walks and one earned run over a 5 2/3 inning stint. A trio of Detroit relievers mopped up, holding the Yanks hitless over the final 3 1/3 innings, an embarrassing end for the proud franchise, and an exhilarating triumph in Tiger-town.

Detroit advances to the World Series, awaiting the National League entry. The series will begin at a National League site - since the NL won the all star game - on Wednesday, October 24.

National League

Jon Jay

NLCS: St. Louis 8 San Francisco 3 - Leadoff hitter Jon Jay went 2-for-5 with a double and two RBI to lead a 12-hit Cardinal attack and starter Adam Wainwright stymied the Giants on four hits over seven innings to lead St. Louis to a commanding, 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Adam Wainwright

The Cardinals roughed up Giants' starter, Tim Lincecum, tagging him for four runs off six hits and three bases on balls over 4 2/3 innings.

Jay opened the scoring in the first, scoring on Matt Holliday's single up the middle after leading off the game with a scratch single, followed by a walk to the Cards' #2 hitter, Matt Carpenter, who came home on Allen Craig's sac fly.

The Giants cut the lead to 2-1 in the second inning on a solo homer by Hunter Pence, but Wainwright held the lead until the Cardinals let loose with two runs in each of the fifth, sixth and seventh innings, putting the game out of reach. After Pence's homer, Wainwright set down 10 of the next 11 hitters and was in full control, striking out five without allowing any walks, throwing 70 of 96 pitches for strikes.

Jay doubled home a pair of runs in the sixth, Wainwright worked through the seventh, giving up the ball to Fernando Salas, who allowed the Giants two meaningless ninth inning runs on a Pablo Sandoval two-run homer.

Game five is Friday, at 8:07 pm EDT in St. Louis. The Cardinals can wrap up the NL championship with a win and earn some time off prior to Wednesday's start of the World Series. Barry Zito goes for the Giants, against St. Louis starter, Lance Lynn.