-------------------------TIGERS WIN 3-1--------------------------

Kottaras at bat (Pinch Hitting)--- OUT!

Smith at bat-- Strikeout! 2 OUTS

DO or die for the A's in this one----- Valderde with a K. 1 OUT

------------------------------------TOP OF THE 9TH-------------------------

1,2,3 inning for the A's

======================MIDDLE OF THE 8TH==============

Reddick at bat-- Strikes out!

Moss at bat MISSES A GAME TYING HOMER! Flyout to right

Cespedes at bat-- single to left field

Benoit in to pitch.. Drew at bat-- Grounder back to the pitcher. OUT!

-----------------END OF THE 7TH---------------------------

Jackson strikes out

Infante avoids double play... Runners on 1st & 3rd

Avila at bat single to left

Peralta at bat-- strikeout swinging

Dirks with a base hit to left

=========================MIDDLE OF THE 7TH=====================

Drew chopper to Fielder

Pennington at bat Walk

Norris at bat-- 5th straight strikeouts for Verlander

Smith strikesout

-------------------END OF THE 6TH INNING-----------------------

Young at bat-- Strikesout

Fielder liner to short

Cabrera at bat flyout to right field

=================MIDDLE OF THE SIXTH======================

Donaldson at bat--STRIKESOUT THE SIDE!

Reddick at bat-- STRIKEOUT looking!

Moss at bat-- hat trick with third strikeout

--------------END OF THE 5TH-------------------

2 OUTS Berry at bat-- Strikeout!

Jackson at bat--Reddick with diving catch!!

Infante grounder to third

Avila with solo home run

======MIDDLE  OF THE 5TH=========

Cespedes at bat-- force out at second

Drew at bat 1 OUTstrkeout looking

Crisp at bat-- flyout to right

Pennington leads off base hit

-----------------------END OF THE 4TH---------------------

Johnny at bat--Strike 'em out throw 'em out DOUBLE PLAY

Dirks flyout to left field

Young HBP ON FIRST BASE

3 OUTS=======MIDDLE OF THE FOURTH=====

2 OUTS Norris at bat-- Popout to short right field

1 OUT Smitth at bat-- Force out at 2nd... Smith at 1st

O OUTS Donaldson at bat-- STRIKEOUT

Roddick at bat-- WALK

-----------------------END OF THE THIRD-----------------------------------

PENNINGTON RUNS OUT OT SHALLOW CENTER TO CATCH FIELDER POPUP!!

Fielder at bat-- 2 OUTS Runners on 1st & 2nd

MVP Chants echo around the stadium 2 OUTS Cabrera at bat--- Berry on 2nd after SB... Cabrera WALKS

2 OUTS Berry at bat- Infante still at 2nd-- Parker tries to flip ball to first, fumbles it... Infante scores

1 OUT Jackson at bat-- Infante at 2nd---popup to 2nd
 

1 OUT Infante at bat-- stand up DOUBLE

Avila at bat- good morning, good afternoon and GN! Strikes out looking

==============MIDDLE OF THE 3RD==============

STRIKE THREE SWINGING!

2 OUTS Drew on 2nd-- Moss at bat
1-0 Ball outside
2-0 Fastball outside
3-0 change up in the dirt 
3-1 high fastball called a strike
60th pitch coming from Verlander 
3-2 98 MPH fastball swing and a miss 

1 OUT Drew on 2nd-- Cespedes at bat--
0-1 slider right down the pipe!
0-2 fastball fouled back
Grounder to third... 2 OUTS 

1 OUT-- Drew at bat-- DOUBLE
GOes to the gap... Jackson picks it up before ball gets to warning track 

Crisp at bat-- Flyout to right
Fastball on outside corner and ball
1-2 Crisp with home run cut
fouls off inside breaking ball
1-2 spoils another breaking ball 
2-2 count ball low and away

----------------------END OF THE 2ND---------------------

2 OUTS-- Jhonny Peralta at bat
Grounder to Drew... OUT! 

1 OUT-- Dirks at bat--
Big swing. Flyout to Cespedes 

Young at bat-- DREW WITH DIVING STOP AND THROW! Gets Young at first!
2-1 the count after starting off 0-1 

==============MIDDLE OF THE 2ND=================

2 OUTS Norris on 1st- Pennington at bat- Strike out

1 OUT Smith on 1st-- Norris at bat-- Fielder's choice
1-1 strike on breaking ball
1-2 breaking ball for a strike 
Grounder to short- Peralta to second 

1 OUT-- Smith at bat-- Walk
1-0 ball outside 
2-0 ball outside
2-1 strike on 93 MPH fastball 
2-2 swing and a miss on 94 MPH fastball
foul ball 
3-2 breaking ball in the dirt 
FASTBALL LOW 

Donaldson at bat-- Flyout to deep center
Shot to centerfield! Wouldhave been gone anywhere else... Jackson traps it 

3 OUTS-------------------------------END OF THE 1ST INNING--------------------

2 OUTS after Cabrera hits double play-- Fielder at bat--
0-1 fastball inside corner strike 
Quickly 2-2 the count 
Fouled back 
3-2 change up , high and away
Foul ball 
Fielder hits it to left field... OUT 

0 OUTS Jackson on 3rd and Berry on 1st Cabrera at bat--
1-0 Umpire does not call strike even though ball caught outside corner 

O OUTS Jackson on 2nd Berry at bat-- hot shot to Donaldson! Off his glove, saves double
1-0 Bunt... pulls back
1-1 Bunt... pulls back.. strike called
Parker steps off 
Donaldson playing in defending against the bunt
2-1 shows bunt again, slider inside
2-2 Berry gets bunt down, but ball goes foul
Will Leyland stay with the bunt? 

Jackson at bat-- DOUBLE!
Jackson first pitch swinging
hot shot to SS Drew off his glove, trickles into outfield... double for Jackson 

Jackson, Berry Carbrera, Fielder, Young, Dirks, Peralta, Avila, Infante--- Batting order for Tigers

======MIDDLE OF THE FIRST

2 OUTS Runner on 1st Reddick at bat-- Strikeout!
PIckoff at first
0-1 fastball strike 
1-1 high fastball
2-1 misses high 
23 pitches for Verlander
2-2 fastball outside 
3-2 high fastball FULL COUNT 
SWING AND A MISS! 

1 OUT MOSS at Bat-- Runner on 1st
0-1 curveball drops in for a strike
1-1 fastball outside
Pickoff at first... (Third attempt)
1-2
Change up outside swing and a miss
 

1 OUT Cespedes at bat--- WALK

1-1
1-2 check swing foul ball 
1-2 fouled back 
2-2 ball inside
3-2 breaking ball in the dirt 

Stephen Drew-- Flyout to left
0-1 fastball strike
0-2 bites outside corner 
1-2 low and outside
1-2 foul ball 
Pokes it to left field 

Crisp--- SOLO SHOT TO RIGHT.
0-1 fastball
1-1 change up outside
1-2 95 PMH fastball 
DRIVE DEEP TO RIGHT off 95 MPH fastball

Athletics' Batting Lineup
1. Coco Crisp CF
2. Stephen Drew SS
3. Yoenis Cespedes LF
4. Brandon Moss  1B
5. Josh Reddick RF
6. Josh Donaldson 3B
7. Seth Smith DH
8 Derek Norris C
9. Cliff Pennington 2B

The jets flew over the stadium concluding the opening game ceremonies.

--------------------WELCOME TO THE LIVE BLOG!-------------- 

The pitchers are ready. The teams are ready and the Detroit Tigers are getting on the field as they face off against the American League West Champions, Oakland Athletics in Game 1 of the American League Division Series.

The AL Central Champs will have their ace Justin Verlander on the mound. Verlander finished 2012 with 17 wins and eight losses. He posted a 2.64 ERA, throwing six complete games in 238. 1 innings pitched while striking out 239 hitters.

All of this may seem great as far as a regular season, but in reality, the Tigers are at a disadvantage with Verlander on the mound. His career playoff numbers do not do his regular season totals any justice.

Last season, he surrendered 12 runs in 20.1 innings pitched and finished with a 2-1 record.

The A's strikeout a lot, but they find a way to win. Their pitching makes up for whatever their offense lacks.

Jarrod Parker will take the ball for the Athletics in today's game. He went 13-8 in 29 starts. He threw 181.1 innings and struck out 140.

Both teams went 8-2 in their last 10 games of the season, but the A's closed out their 2012 campaign on a six-game win streak.

However, we are now in the playoffs. Similar to how Verlander's regular season numbers become useless during the postseason, win streaks at the end of the regular season prove futile in relation to a race for World Series trophy.

Follow along as we will bring you scores and play-by-play from today's game. Refresh the page and stay at the top of the article for the latest updates of the Athletics vs. Tigers in tonight's matchup.