The Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals were the final four teams in the battle to get to the World Series.


The series between Detroit and New York in the American League and the battle of St. Louis against San Francisco in the National League could not have been more different. The AL figured to be a slugfest over six or seven games, while the NL appeared to be seven games of pitchers duels.
This is what was expected but the reality proved different. The Tigers dominated the Yankees and will return to the World Series for the first time since 2006. The National League Championship Series was much closer, where the St. Louis Cardinals and the San Francisco Giants are locked in a surprising slugfest.


The Tigers got great performances from Doug Fister and Anibal Sanchez,  starters in games 1 and 2., respectively. Fister, who pitched six and one-third scoreless innings against the Yankees, saw his lead get blown by Tigers closer Jose Valverde when outfielder Raul Ibanez hit a home run in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game. However, the Tigers won it in the top of the 12th, as ALCS MVP Delmon Young ripped a double past right fielder Nick Swisher. Game 2 featured seven scoreless innings pitched by Sanchez, and another timely hit by Young, who placed the ball just deep enough in the shortstop hole to score a run to score in the top of the seventh. Pitcher Phil Coke, who took over the closer's role for Valverde, pitched the final two innings for the save.


With a 2-0 lead, the Tigers sent Justin Verlander to the mound in Detroit for Game 3. Verlander gave up one run in eight and a third innings, helping the Tigers to a 3-1 victory. With their season on the line, the Yankees sent their ace C.C. Sabathia to the mound. However Sabathia gave up six runs in only three and two thirds innings. From there, the Tigers won the series with an 8-1 victory.


The Yankees left the series drained. Third baseman Alex Rodriguez, second baseman Robinson Cano and first baseman Mark Teixeira combined for only five hits in 42 at bats, and Rodriguez was benched for the final two games. Shortstop Derek Jeter broke his ankle in the 12th inning of Game 1 and is scheduled for surgery. The offseason will be one of recovery for the Yankees.


The NLCS, featuring the two previous World Series champions, proved to be a slugfest, with only one game having less than five runs scored by the winning team. The Cardinals, defending champions, began the series by going to San Francisco and roughing up pitcher Madison Bumgarner. The Cardinals scored all six runs off the Giants starter within the first four innings of the game and rode their bullpen the rest of the way to a 6-4 victory. San Francisco's offense woke up for 7 runs in Game 2, highlighted by a leadoff home run by center fielder Angel Pagan in the first inning. The Giants rode the arm of pitcher Ryan Vogelsong to tie the series.


With the series back in St. Louis, and each team's ace on the mound, the Cardinals won Game 3 3-1, as pitcher Kyle Lohse outpitched Giants pitcher Matt Cain, giving up one run in 5 2/3 innings. Cain, who gave up three runs in 6 2/3 innings, served up a home run to outfielder Matt Carpenter, the backup right fielder filling in for injured right fielder Carlos Beltran. With momentum in their favor, the Cardinals dominated Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum in Game 4, taking the game 8-3. With their season on the line, the Giants turned to pitcher Barry Zito in Game 5, who didn't allow an earned run in seven and two thirds innings and allowwed the Giants  to rebound in the series with a 5-0 victory.


In a one-sided game 7, the Giants pulled off a 9-0 romp to advance to their second World Series in three years. The World Series should be a fitting culmination for what has been a unforgettable postseason.