Athletics 1, Tigers 0
Stephen Vogt singled in the lone run in the bottom of the ninth as host Oakland evened the American League Division Series with Detroit at a game apiece.
The Athletics loaded the bases against Al Alburquerque (0-1) on two hits and an intentional walk before the Tigers went to the bullpen for sinkerballer Rick Porcello. Vogt took two sinkers and laced the third into left to score Yoenis Cespedes and make a winner out of Grant Balfour (1-0), who pitched a perfect inning of relief after a brilliant start by rookie Sonny Gray.
Justin Verlander dominated through seven innings but the Tigers managed only four singles. The series shifts to Detroit for Game 3 on Monday.
Verlander allowed four hits and walked one while striking out 11. The right-hander worked out of a pair of jams in the later part of his outing, including striking out Vogt with runners on second and third to end the seventh.
Gray was just as sharp, striking out nine and yielding four hits in eight frames, and got out of his biggest spot of trouble with a strikeout-caught stealing double play to end the fifth.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Tigers have not recorded an extra-base hit since a pair of doubles in the first inning of Game 1, when they scored all three of their runs. … The Athletics have struck out 29 times in the first two games. … Detroit will send RHP Anibal Sanchez to the mound in Game 3. Oakland will counter with RHP Jarrod Parker.