Detroit Tigers Win Game 3 of the ALCS Over the Texas Rangers 5 – 2 [AUDIO]

The Detroit Tigers were able to avoid a three-games-to-none deficit in the American League Championship Series Tuesday night. Doug Fister pitched into the eighth inning as he and the Tigers tied a team postseason record by belting three homers in a 5-2 triumph over the Texas Rangers.

Fister settled down after allowing a run and three straight singles to open the game. He gave up two runs and seven hits in 7 1/3 innings to win his second consecutive postseason start.

Victor Martinez, Jhonny Peralta and Miguel Cabrera each hit solo shots while the Tigers were building a 5-1 lead.

Cabrera also put Detroit ahead to stay with an RBI double in the fifth and made a diving stop at first base to rob Adrian Beltre of a possible RBI double in the ninth..

Losing pitcher Colby Lewis was pulled with two out in the sixth, charged with four runs and eight hits. Ian Kinsler scored the Rangers' first run on Josh Hamilton's single before contributing an RBI grounder. But Texas managed just five hits off Fister and the Detroit bullpen after Hamilton's run-scoring single in the first inning.

Game 4 is Wednesday in Detroit, where Rick Porcello will start for the Tigers against Matt Harrison.

Tigers outfielder Delmon Young was scratched from the starting lineup before the game. Detroit had initially left Young off its ALCS roster because of what was then described as a left oblique injury that he aggravated in the AL division series against the Yankees. Further tests showed that might not be the real issue. Detroit was already playing without Magglio Ordonez and Brennan Boesch (bahsh), and they finished Tuesday's game without Martinez. Manager Jim Leyland said after the game he didn't think Martinez's injury was serious.