ALCS, Red Sox vs. Tigers: How they match up

SCHEDULE

Game 1: Today, 5 p.m.

Detroit (Sanchez, 14-8, 2.57) at Boston (Lester, 15-8, 3.75)

Game 2: Sunday, 5 p.m

Detroit (Scherzer, 21-3, 2.90) at Boston (Buchholz, 12-1, 1.74)

Game 3: Tuesday, 1 p.m.

Boston (Lackey, 10-13, 3.52) at Detroit (Verlander, 13-12, 3.46)

Game 4: Wednesday, 5 p.m.

Boston (Peavy, 12-5, 4.17) at Detroit Fister (14-9, 3.67)

Game 5: Thursday, 5 p.m.*

Boston (TBA) at Detroit (TBA)

Game 6: Oct. 1:30 p.m.*

Detroit (TBA) at Boston (TBA)

Game 7: Oct. 20, 5 p.m.*

Tigers (TBA) at Boston (TBA)

*-if necessary | All times PDT | TV: Ch. 11

PROJECTED LINESUPS

Detroit

Pos. | Player | Avg. | HR | RBIs

CF |Austin Jackson |.272 | 12 | 49

RF |Torii Hunter | .304 |17 | 84

3B | Miguel Cabrera | .348 | 44 | 137

1B | Prince Fielder | .279 | 25 | 106

DH | Victor Martinez | .301 | 14 | 83

LF | Jhonny Peralta | .303 | 11 | 55

C | Alex Avila | .227 | 11 | 47

2B | Omar Infante | .318 | 10 | 51

SS | Jose Iglesias | .303 | 3 | 29

Starting pitcher |W-L | SO |ERA

RH | Anibal Sanchez | 14-8 | 202 | 2.57

Boston

Pos. | Player | Avg. | HR | RBIs

CF | Jacoby Ellsbury | .298 | 9 | 53

RF | Shane Victorino |.294 | 15 | 61

2B | Dustin Pedroia |.301 | 9 |84

DH | David Ortiz | .309 | 30 | 103

1B | Mike Napoli | .259 | 23 | 92

LF | Daniel Nava | .303 | 12 | 66

C | J. Saltalamacchia | .273 | 14 | 65

SS | Stephen Drew | .253 | 13 | 67

3B | Will Middlebrooks | .227 | 17 | 49

Starting pitcher |W-L |SO | ERA

LH | John Lester | 15-8 | 177 |3.75

KEYS TO THE SERIES

The Tigers throw two of the top five starters in AL earned-run average the first two games in Anibal Sanchez and Max Scherzer, though Sanchez struggled in his division series start against Oakland. And they have Justin Verlander ready for Game 3. Jon Lester gets his fourth Game 1 start in a postseason game, after going 2-1 with a 2.18 ERA in his three previous series openers. Detroit has to watch leadoff hitter Jacoby Ellsbury, who sparked the Red Sox offense against Tampa Bay in the division series, going nine for 18 with four stolen bases and seven runs scored. Detroit’s offense was basically shut down by A’s pitching in their five-game division series, hitting only .235 with a .299 OBP. Probable MVP Miguel Cabrera was only five for 20 against the A’s, though he did hit the big home run that led Detroit to the Game 5 win. The patient Red Sox hitters will try to grind out at-bats and get into the Tigers’ shaky bullpen, while the Tigers need to get a lead into the late innings, because Boston features a dominant closer in Koji Uehara (0.28 ERA in the second half).

THE PICK

Boston in 7