Rangers try to punch their World Series ticket in Detroit

The Texas Rangers hope to punch their ticket to the World Series for the second straight season when they try to put the Detroit Tigers away in Game 5 of the American League Championship Series at Comerica Park.

However, if they are going to reach the Fall Classic once again they will have to do so against the pitcher who has been the best in baseball this season in right-hander Justin Verlander.

Verlander put forth one of the best years ever by a Tigers starter, as he won the league's pitching Triple Crown, going 24-5 with a 2.40 earned run average and 250 strikeouts.

However, he's looked quite ordinary in the playoffs, going 1-1 with a 5.45 ERA. Verlander, though, has had to deal with rain in both of his Game 1 starts and that figures to be the case today, as rain is expected in the Detroit area today.

"I try to keep myself in rhythm. I base what I do a lot off feel. If something is wrong, I like to feel it," Verlander said. "I like to feel myself getting in the rhythm on the mound during the game. It's kind of tough for me when things get shortened. Like you said, I've only had 13 innings through two weeks. But, hey, doesn't matter. Go out there and do it."

Like his Game 1 start in the ALDS Verlander's Game 1 outing in this series was interrupted by rain. Still though, he absorbed the loss, allowing three runs and five hits in four innings.

"I thought tonight that his control was not good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said after that start. "His control was not very good. He didn't really have his curveball going for strikes. He had a tough time with it, I think probably trying to overthrow it a little bit."

Verlander will be opposed by another All-Star in lefty C.J. Wilson, who won 16 games during the regular season, but is 0-1 here in the playoffs with a 7.45 ERA.

Like Verlander Wilson had to wait out a delay in his Game 1 start, but did not get a decision, as he allowed two runs and six hits and walked five batters in 4 2/3 innings.

"You know, there's nothing I can do about it," said Wilson, who is a free agent at season's end. "The only thing I can do is if I get interrupted again, try to make a better adjustment. And I've got a little better plan for that, I guess, after having gone through it."

The Rangers moved to the brink of advancing on Wednesday, as Mike Napoli hit a game-winning RBI single in the top of the 11th and Nelson Cruz capped the frame with a three-run homer, propelling Texas to a 7-3 win.

Cruz continued to punish the Tigers, becoming the only player in postseason history to hit two extra inning home runs in the same series. He ended Game 2 in the 11th inning with the first walkoff grand slam in playoff history.

"It's not easy," said Cruz, who now has nine RBI in 14 ALCS at-bats. "People ask me if it's that easy. I guess if you can swing, good results are gonna come."

Josh Hamilton began the 11th with a double. With one down, Jose Valverde (0-1) intentionally walked Adrian Beltre before Napoli singled home Hamilton for a 4-3 advantage. Cruz followed with a three-run blast to cap the scoring, as the Rangers emphatically grabbed a 3-1 advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Brandon Inge hit a game-tying home run in the seventh inning for the Tigers, who got a two-run double from Miguel Cabrera.

This marks the 19th time since the advent of the best-of-seven format in 1985 that a team has held a 3-1 lead in the ALCS. Only four have not advanced to the World Series: the '85 Blue Jays, the '86 Angels, the 2004 Yankees and the '07 Indians.

"We can count -- I know what the situation is," said Leyland. "You wouldn't rather have anybody out there other than Justin Verlander."

These teams have never met in the playoffs, but the Tigers won six of their nine regular season matchups against the Rangers.