Split on the road ...

... and you know the other part. On the one hand, I was afraid they wouldn't be able to do it. On the other, well, this was the best road team in baseball this season. Verlander did a great job of settling down after the Damon home run (as opposed to Robertson in Game 1), and the Tigers again got a steady parade of hits, although this time they did a better job with them.

So now, all they have to do is ... you know.

Detroit doesn't have much of a playoff history, at least not in the post-expansion days.

In '87, the Twins had home-bubble advantage, and the Tigers were down 0-2 before winning Game 3 in Detroit. Even that required an eighth-inning homer by Pat Sheridan (trivia: the tying run was scored by Jack Morris. Sparky used him on a few occasions as a pinch-runner).

In '84, nothing was a problem. The Tigers took two games in Kansas City (the ALCS was 2-3 back then, with the higher-seeded team getting three home games at the end of the series) and one of two in San Diego (the Series was 2-3-2).

'72 was weird. Somehow, Detroit had home-field advantage, even though they had a worse record than Oakland. I guess it must have alternated. Anyway, the A's won both games in Oakland, Detroit took the next two, and then Oakland won Game 5 in Detroit.

So ... three seasons, four series, 3-6 record on the road, now 4-7. 7-2 at home, though, with their only losses being in the ALCS, Game 4 in '87 and Game 5 in '72.

That means nothing this season. Announcers like to talk about history and all that, but it doesn't matter. All that matters is how you play today.

At 8:20 EDT.

Go Tigers!