As much as Todd Jones wanted to give the game away at the end, the Tigers took two games from the A’s in Oakland with a 8-5 victory Wednesday night.

Alexis Gomez (who?) was the star for the Tigers in Game 2. One more time: Alexis Gomez (who?!) was the star for the Tigers in Game 2.

If Leyland doesn’t win American League Manager of the Year, it will be the biggest farce in the MLB for 2006. Not only did he out-manage Joe Torre in the ALDS, but his lineup moves for Game 2 were suburb. Deciding to part ways with slugger Dimitri Young in the final month of the season and not making Chris Shelton part of the playoff roster, Leyland went with Gomez at DH against A’s starter Esteban Loaiza (0-1). Gomez answered by going 2 for 4 at the plate with four RBI (including a two-run bomb off of A’s starter Loaiza). In Game 1 it was Brandon Inge playing the hero role and now Gomez – a player some around Detroit felt should have been left off the roster in favor of Shelton.

Rookie rocket launcher Justin Verlander (1-0) earned the win for Motown. Verlander gave up four runs on seven hits in 5.1 innings of work.

Although Leyland’s move to play Gomez was excellent, having Neifi Perez bat second in the lineup was a head scratchier to say the least. The skipper is lucky that Perez never came up in a key situation, because Perez is brutal at the plate. Nonetheless, Detroit (a team that lost 119 games three years ago) has completely turned around its play with Leyland on board and it is absolutely remarkable what he has done with this ball club.

On the other side of the coin, Milton Bradley homered twice and was virtually the A’s only offense outside of Mark Kotsay (4-5, two runs scored). Bradley finished 3 for 4 with four RBI and two runs scored, but the rest of Oakland’s lineup (including a now 0-8 Frank Thomas) has been atrocious. Now done 0-2, Oakland will turn to Rich Harden for Game 3. Harden has absolute nasty stuff, but he hasn’t pitched in a MLB game since late April and now has the daunting task of trying to get a win on the road. Add to the fact that Harden will have to pitch in Detroit – where it’s supposed to be in the mid to low 30’s on Friday night – and against Kenny Rogers (1-0), and the A’s are really behind the eight ball in this series.

Game 3 starters: Rich Harden (0-0) vs. Kenny Rogers (1-0).