New York @ Detroit preview

NY Yankees at Detroit

Last Meeting ( Oct 17, 2012 ) NY Yankees 0, Detroit 0

The New York Yankees turn to CC Sabathia as they attempt to stave off elimination and extend the American League Championship Series when they take on the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 at Comerica Park on Thursday. The game was originally scheduled for Wednesday, but a band of strong showers forced Major League Baseball to postpone the game before it even began. The teams lose their travel day, with Game 5 - if necessary - scheduled for Friday afternoon.

New York dropped a 2-1 decision Tuesday as ace Justin Verlander tossed 8 1/3 superb innings to give Detroit a 3-0 series lead. Delmon Young belted a solo home run and Miguel Cabrera extended his LCS hitting streak to a major league-record 16 games with an RBI double for the Tigers, who are one victory away from their 11th World Series appearance. Wednesday's Yankee lineup had Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson on the bench - and that very well may be the case again Thursday.

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees LH CC Sabathia (2-0, 1.53 ERA) vs. Tigers RH Max Scherzer (0-0, 0.00)

Sabathia registered two of New York's three victories over Baltimore in the AL Division Series, including a four-hitter in the decisive Game 5 on Friday. The 32-year-old, who is 3-2 with a 5.20 ERA in six career ALCS starts, went 3-0 with a 3.32 ERA against the Tigers this season and 2-0 at Comerica Park. But Sabathia struggled versus Detroit in last year's ALDS, allowing six runs over 8 2/3 innings in two starts and a relief appearance.

Scherzer pitched well in Game 4 of the ALDS against Oakland, allowing an unearned run and three hits over 5 1/3 innings while walking one and striking out eight. The 28-year-old, who finished second to Verlander for the major-league lead in strikeouts with 231, took the loss in his only start of the season against New York on April 29 after yielding three runs on seven hits and seven walks in 4 2/3 innings. Scherzer tossed six scoreless innings in a victory over the Yankees in Game 2 of last year's ALDS.

WALK-OFFS

1. New York has scored all five of its runs in this series and 11 of its 21 in the postseason in the ninth inning.

2. Detroit's starting pitchers had tossed 37 2/3 straight innings in the series without allowing an earned run before Eduardo Nunez's homer off Verlander in the ninth Tuesday. It is the longest streak since the 44-inning run by the starters for the 1905 New York Giants.

3. Verlander came within three outs of becoming the first pitcher to throw consecutive playoff shutouts since Orel Hershiser accomplished the feat in 1988 with the Los Angeles Dodgers.