By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Inclement weather postponed Game 4 of the American League Championship Series between the Detroit Tigers and the New York Yankees to Thursday at Comerica Park.

The best-of-seven series, which the Tigers lead by 3-0, will be played at 4 p.m. ET with CC Sabathia on the mound against Max Scherzer for the Tigers.

"We're baseball players. We're used to getting rained out," said Scherzer, who will have a chance to pitch the Tigers to a sweep and a World Series berth. "I'm ready to pitch tomorrow. Nothing changes."

The game was supposed to start at 8:07 p.m. ET but game officials decided not to begin due to threats of strong rain. Rain then started falling about 90 minutes after the scheduled start time.

Major League Baseball officials said the contest was postponed "in an effort to preserve the integrity of an uninterrupted full nine-inning game."

Last year, the Tigers and Yankees lost their aces after an inning and a half in the opener of the AL Division Series in New York under the same situation.

If needed, Game 5 will now be held in Detroit Friday in what supposed to be a travel and workout day. No start time has been announced for that potential game.

If the Yankees stay alive, Games 6 and 7 would remain on schedule for Saturday and Sunday in New York.

The postponement could affect the Yankees since Sabathia, who is touted to pitch Game 7 if the series goes that far, cannot pitch on two days' rest.

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said the team should first focus on staying alive Thursday to keep the series going.

"This is a full 25-man roster with a lot of capable guys," Cashman said. "So it doesn't matter what they throw at us, we have to find a way. It's all about winning our next game and then worrying about the day after, the day after. Whatever the schedule turns out to be, it doesn't matter. We will find a way. We have no choice."

 

 

Rain Postpones Game 4 of ALCS