Derek Jeter Fractures Ankle In Loss To Tigers

Game one of the American League Championship Series was painful in more ways than one for Yankee fans.  After rallying from four runs down in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Yankees lost in 12 innings to the Tigers.  Shortly after the game came word that captain, Derek Jeter, has a confirmed fractured ankle suffered in the loss and will miss the rest of the playoffs.

Game one of the ALCS between the Yankees and Tigers started off as a nail-biter. New York loaded the bases three times against Tiger starter Doug Fister and failed to plate a run each time. Yankee bats continued to be frigid as the likes of Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez combined to go 0-13.  Rodriguez who was benched in the clinching game of the Division Series, left six men on base tonight and was pulled for backup, Eric Chavez.

Detroit was able to scratch out two runs in the sixth with shallow hits to right field by Prince Fielder and Delmon Young. Young later padded the lead in the eighth inning with a home run and the Tigers took a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

Ichiro Suzuki got the stadium rocking with a  two run home run to cut the lead in half. That's when Raul Ibanez made his case to be an October legend in pinstripes - again. Down to their final out, Ibanez tied the game for New York with a homer to right field.  Sadly, the Yanks couldn't finish off Detroit and the game went into extra innings and hearts sunk all over New York in more ways than one.

Delmon Young came through for the Tigers again with a double in the top of the 12th, sending a ball behind Yankee right fielder, Nick Swisher.  The very next batter, Jhonny Peralta, hit a ball to short stop, Derek Jeter, and during a dive to stop the ball from reaching the outfield grass, Jeter stayed on the ground in obvious pain.  Carried off the field, Jeter couldn't put pressure on his left leg. As Jeter was helped to the clubhouse, Detroit added another run and polished off the Yankees 6-4 in 12.

After the game, Yank's manager Joe Girardi confirmed what no Yankee fan wanted to hear - Jeter has a broken ankle.  Prognosis - not good. The Yankee captain will be out for the remainder of the playoffs.  If the Yankees want to win game two and proceed on their journey to another World Series title, they'll have to do it sans captain.

First pitch is 4:07 PM tomorrow.  What odds are you giving the Yanks without Jeter?