Tigers Rally to Tie Game 4 Against A’s

DETROIT – Magglio Ordonez pounded a line drive into the left field seats as the Tigers, down 3-0 early, came back to tie up Game 4 of the AL championship series against the Oakland Athletics 3-3 in the 6th inning on Saturday afternoon.

Detroit began to rally in the fifth inning, as back-to-back doubles by Curtis Granderson and Craig Monroe helped the Tigers get back to within a run of the Athletics.

With one out, Granderson’s double to right scored Brandon Inge. Monroe’s double, just out of the reach of a sliding Jay Payton in left field, cut Oakland’s lead to 3-2.

Milton Bradley and Eric Chavez hit run-scoring doubles as the A’s took a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning against Tigers starter Jeremy Bonderman.

Bradley’s double followed a one-out walk to Mark Kotsay. After Frank Thomas popped out in foul territory, Chavez grounded a ball just inside the first-base line for a ground-rule double to score Bradley.

In the fourth inning, Payton had extended Oakland’s lead to 3-0 with a solo home run.

Oakland starter Dan Haren lasted five-plus innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and striking out seven.

The Tigers were looking to finish off a sweep of the Athletics and gain a berth in the World Series.

With one more Tigers win, a wild-card team would reach the World Series for the fifth straight year.