| 2006 American League Championship Series | ||||||||||
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| Dates | October 10–14 | |||||||||
| MVP | Plácido Polanco (Detroit) | |||||||||
| Umpires | Jerry Crawford Hunter Wendelstedt Derryl Cousins Chuck Meriwether Gary Cederstrom Mike Reilly | |||||||||
| Broadcast | ||||||||||
| Television | Fox (United States) MLB International (International) | |||||||||
| TV announcers | Thom Brennaman,Steve Lyons (Games 1–3)†,José Mota (Game 4),Lou Piniella andChris Myers (Fox) † Lyons was dismissed by Fox after Game 3, for comments which the network deemed insensitive to Piniella'sSpanish background.[1] Dave O'Brien andRick Sutcliffe (MLB International) | |||||||||
| Radio | ESPN | |||||||||
| Radio announcers | Jon Miller andJoe Morgan | |||||||||
| ALDS |
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The2006American League Championship Series (ALCS), the second round of theAmerican League side inMajor League Baseball's2006 postseason, began on October 10 and ended on October 14. The wild cardDetroit Tigers swept the West Division champion and third-seededOakland Athletics to advance to the2006 World Series, and became the fourth AL team to win at least 10 pennants, joining theNew York Yankees (39), the Athletics (15), and theBoston Red Sox (11).Magglio Ordóñez's game-winningwalk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning of Game 4 sealed the pennant for the Tigers. This ALCS marked the 5th different AL pennant winner in as many years (following2005 with the White Sox,2004 with the Red Sox,2003 with the Yankees, and2002 with the Angels).
The Athletics defeated theMinnesota Twins 3 games to none in theAL Division Series, and the Tigers defeated the Yankees 3 games to 1. The Tigers faced theNational League championsSt. Louis Cardinals in theWorld Series, but lost in five games. The Athletics had home-field advantage (despite the Tigers having a better regular season record) as the wild card team defers home field advantage in the LCS regardless of regular season record.
The Athletics were seeking their first AL pennant since1990, while the Tigers captured the league title for the first time since their win in the1984 World Series. The series was a rematch of the1972 American League Championship Series (then a best-of-five series), in which Oakland defeated Detroit in 5 games. Detroit managerJim Leyland, who led theFlorida Marlins to the1997 World Series title, became the seventh manager in history to win pennants in both leagues. It was the second consecutive ALCS without the Yankees and Red Sox.
Detroit won the series, 4–0.
| Game | Date | Score | Location | Time | Attendance |
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| 1 | October 10 | Detroit Tigers – 5, Oakland Athletics – 1 | McAfee Coliseum | 3:20 | 35,655[2] |
| 2 | October 11 | Detroit Tigers – 8, Oakland Athletics – 5 | McAfee Coliseum | 3:06 | 36,168[3] |
| 3 | October 13 | Oakland Athletics – 0,Detroit Tigers – 3 | Comerica Park | 2:57 | 41,669[4] |
| 4 | October 14 | Oakland Athletics – 3,Detroit Tigers – 6 | Comerica Park | 3:23 | 42,967[5] |
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detroit | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Nate Robertson (1–0) LP:Barry Zito (0–1) Home runs: DET:Brandon Inge (1),Iván Rodríguez (1) OAK: None | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oakland was 0-for-13 with runners in scoring position, while Detroit turned four double plays (both are LCS records). Tigers first basemanSean Casey left the game in the bottom of the sixth inning due to an apparent leg injury. Brandon Inge homered with two outs in the third off Barry Zito, who allowed a double and two walks to load the bases beforeMagglio Ordóñez's single scored another run. Next inning, Iván Rodríguez hit a leadoff home run off Zito, who then walkedCraig Monroe.Marcus Thames then hit into a forceout, advancing to second onD'Angelo Jiménez's error and scoring on Inge's double. Inge moved to third onCurtis Granderson's groundout, then scored onPlácido Polanco's single. Oakland avoided a shutout whenMilton Bradley doubled to lead off the eighth offJoel Zumaya, moved to third onFrank Thomas's groundout, and scored onJay Payton's groundout.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Detroit | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Oakland | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Justin Verlander (1–0) LP:Esteban Loaiza (0–1) Sv:Todd Jones (1) Home runs: DET:Alexis Gomez (1),Curtis Granderson (1) OAK:Milton Bradley 2 (2),Eric Chavez (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oakland struck first in Game 2 whenMark Kotsay doubled in the first with one out off Justin Verlander, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored onMilton Bradley's single, but Detroit tied it whenCarlos Guillén doubled to lead off the second off Esteban Loaiza, moved to third on a groundout, and scored onCraig Monroe's sacrifice fly. In the third, Kotsay doubled with two outs off Verlander before Bradley homered to put Oakland up 3–1. In the fourth, Detroit loaded the bases on two singles and a walk with one out off Loaiza before Monroe's single scored a run,Alexis Gomez's 2-run single gave Detroit the lead, andBrandon Inge's sacrifice fly put the Tigers up 5–3. In the sixth, Monroe doubled off Loaiza with two outs before Gomez homered to put Detroit up 7–3.Eric Chavez's leadoff home run off Verlander in the bottom of the inning cut the lead to 7–4. Next inning, Bradley homered with two outs offWilfredo Ledezma to make it 7–5 Detroit, but the Tigers got that run back in the ninth on Granderson's leadoff home run offHuston Street. In the bottom of the inning, Oakland got three straight two-out singles offTodd Jones to load the bases, butFrank Thomas flew out to center to end the game. Since the ALCS has been increased to a seven-game series, no team has come back to win the series after losing the first two games at home.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Oakland | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | X | 3 | 6 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Kenny Rogers (1–0) LP:Rich Harden (0–1) Sv:Todd Jones (2) Home runs: OAK: None DET:Craig Monroe (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oakland infielderMark Kiger, who was called up from the minors for the ALCS following an injury toMark Ellis, entered the game in the eighth inning as a defensive replacement for second basemanD'Angelo Jiménez, thereby becoming the first player in modern baseball history to make his major-league debut in a postseason game.[6] Kenny Rogers also continued to dominate, not allowing the Athletics to score once for his second victory in the postseason.Curtis Granderson walked to lead off the first off Rich Harden, moved to third on Craig Monroe's single, and scored on Plácido Polanco's single. Magglio Ordóñez's sacrifice fly made it 2–0 Tigers. Monroe's leadoff home run in the fifth off Harden made it 3–0. Todd Jones picked up his second save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Oakland | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Detroit | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| WP:Wilfredo Ledezma (1–0) LP:Huston Street (0–1) Home runs: OAK:Jay Payton (1) DET:Magglio Ordóñez 2 (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
In Game 4, Mark Kotsay walked with one out in the first off Jeremy Bonderman, then scored onMilton Bradley's double. One out later, Bradley scored on Eric Chavez's double to put Oakland up 2–0.Jay Payton homered in the fourth to make it 3–0. In the fifth, however, Brandon Inge singled offDan Haren, moving to second on an error. After moving to third on a groundout, Inge scored on a double byCurtis Granderson, who then scored onCraig Monroe's double.Magglio Ordóñez homered in the sixth to tie the game at three. In the bottom of the ninth,Huston Street got two outs, then allowed back-to-back singles to Polanco and Monroe before Ordóñez launched a three-run walk-off home run to win the game and advance the Tigers to the2006 World Series. Ordóñez's blast was the first pennant-winning home run sinceAaron Boone's in Game 7 of the2003 ALCS and came on the 30th anniversary ofChris Chambliss' pennant-winning walk-off in Game 5 of the1976 ALCS.
2006 ALCS(4–0):Detroit Tigers overOakland Athletics
| Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||||||||||||||||
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| Detroit Tigers | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 22 | 39 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Oakland Athletics | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 29 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Total attendance: 156,459 Average attendance: 39,115 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
A few days after the conclusion of the series, Athletics general managerBilly Beane fired managerKen Macha. Although the Athletics went 368–280 in his four seasons as manager, Macha frustrated management and players throughout his tenure. Macha's fractured relationships with players such asNick Swisher andRich Harden had been the source of Bay Area stories for several seasons.[7] Even prior to the 2006 season, there was controversy with Macha as he opted out of the last year of his contract and almost took thePittsburgh Pirates' manager job, but was later rehired by Oakland for the 2006 season.[8] After his firing following the AL Championship Series, Macha would later serve as theMilwaukee Brewers' manager from 2009 and 2010.
After the season, ace pitcherBarry Zito signed a record seven year free agent contract with theSan Francisco Giants, ending his seven-year run with the Athletics.[9] Zito was the last man standing in Oakland'sBig Three rotation of Zito,Mark Mulder, andTim Hudson. From 2000 to 2003, the Big Three helped the Athletics win the division in2000,2002, and2003. In those years, each man made multiple All-Star appearances and Zito won the 2002Cy Young Award, which is the Athletics' last Cy Young award win to date.
The Tigers and Athletics would meet again in the postseason in the American League Division Series in2012 and2013, with the Tigers winning both series in five games. By 2012,Justin Verlander was the only player on either team that played in the 2006 American League Championship Series. Verlander's pitching performance in 2012 and 2013 gave him 30 straight scoreless innings against the Athletics in the playoffs, breaking the record for scoreless innings against one team in the postseason set byChristy Mathewson (28).[10]
Magglio Ordóñez pennant clinching walk-off home run would be the last in MLB until2014, when San Francisco Giants outfielderTravis Ishikawa hit a three-run home run off ofMichael Wacha to send the Giants to theWorld Series.
As of 2025[update], the Athletics' and Tigers' World Series droughts have continued. Both franchises have not won a championship since the 1980s (1984 for Detroit and1989 for Oakland).