By Fitzgerald Cecilio

Oakland, CA

Brett Anderson pitched six scoreless innings and designated hitter Seth Smith hit a solo shot as the Oakland Athletics staved off elimination with a 2-0 win over the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of their American League Division Series Tuesday at Oakland Stadium.

Anderson (1-0) fanned six and got 10 outs on ground balls to clinch his first postseason with on 80 pitches and help the A's avoid a three-game sweep and force Wednesday's Game 4.

The A's put AJ Griffin on the mound as they go for the series-tying win while the Tigers try to clinch it with the help of Max Scherzer.

"Our first two starters, (Jarrod) Parker and (Tommy) Milone, went out there and gave us a chance to win," said Anderson. "I was going to go out there and try to do my part, and fortunately it worked out."

The A's also backed up Anderson with outstanding defense with Coco Crisp robbing Prince Fielder of a leadoff homer in the second inning when he caught the ball before it sailed over the wall.

In the seventh, Yoenis Cespedes made a spectacular diving grab of Fielder's line drive that looked like headed for a double.

"It was unbelievable," Anderson said of Oakland's defense. "Coco robbed the homer and kind of set the tone, and we scored a run early and kind of eased me into the game a little bit. You can't say enough about the defense."

Crisp also contributed on offense, hitting a leadoff single before scoring Oakland's first run courtesy of Cespedes' single off Tigers right-handed starter Anibal Sanchez (0-1).

In the fifth, Smith gave the A's more breathing room by delivering a solo shot to left-center, his third career home run off Sanchez in 15 at-bats.

Relievers Ryan Cook, Sean Doolittle and Grant Balfour picked up where Anderson left off, combining for three shutout innings to close out the victory.

In 6 1/3 innings, Sanchez allowed two earned runs on six hits with three strikeouts. Fielder finished hitless in four at-bats while Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera went 1-for-4.

 

 

 

Brett Anderson Helps A's Blank Tigers, Force Game 4 in ALDS