New York Yankees Lose to Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers bested the New York Yankees on Thursday, earning them a spot in the ALCS against the Texas Rangers.
Jim Leyland, the Tigers' manager, expressed his pride after beating the Yankees.
"The Yankees are so good that I would be lying if I said it didn't give me a little extra satisfaction to be able to do it here in the fifth game," Leyland said, according to The New York Times.
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"I don't mean that disrespectfully, I mean that respectfully. It gave me a great thrill to be able to do it here in Yankee Stadium in Game 5. Unbelievable. Other than the American League pennant and that time in the World Series, this will be a game I'll remember for the rest of my life."
The game was the fifth in the series for the two teams, where starting Yankee pitcher Ivan Nova was forced to leave the game after two innings due to injury.
"I felt really tight in the second inning," Nova said, according to ESPN. "I don't want to get out of the game, but they took me out, because I said it was hurting bad right now."
After allowing two home runs in the first inning, the pitcher was removed in the beginning of the second.
"I just made two bad pitches, and they took advantage," Nova said, according to ESPN.
Instead of making excuses for his team's performance, Yankees captain Derek Jeter spoke well about the Tigers' efforts.
"They pitched," Jeter said, according to ESPN. "That's why they're here, and that's why they're moving on."
Yankees manager Joe Girardi expressed his regret for the turn of events that took place on Thursday.
"It's an empty feeling," Girardi said. "It's an empty feeling for everyone in that room. It hurts. We've just got to remember that feeling and be determined for next year."
