Schedule and 2011 Results
Regular Season Records: Texas 96-66, Detroit 95-67
Game 1 on Saturday, 08 October: Detroit loses at Texas, 3-runs-2
Game 2 on Monday, 10 October: Detroit loses at Texas, 7-runs-3 (11 innings)
Game 3 on Tuesday, 11 October: Texas loses at Detroit, 5-runs-2
Game 4 on Wednesday, 12 October: Texas wins at Detroit, 7-runs-3 (11 innings)
Game 5 on Thursday, 13 October: Texas loses at Detroit, 7-runs-5
Game 6 on Saturday, 15 October: Detroit loses at Texas, 15-runs-5

SERIES NOTES:

After Game 6: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152 back in Texas for Game 6, the host Texas Rangers defeated the Detroit Tigers 15-runs-5 for a 4-games-2 victory in their 2011 MLB Semifinals (American League Championship) series. Texas thus wins a berth in series 1154, the 2011 MLB Finals. With the series 1152 win, the Texas Rangers improve their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record to 2-1 overall and 2-0 in the MLB Semifinals. With the series 1152 loss, the Detroit Tigers see their best-of-7 MLB playoff series record fall to 5-8 overall and 1-2 in the MLB Semifinals. The win order for the victorious Texas Rangers in series 1152 was WWLWLW: Series 1152 thus becomes the second MLB Semifinals series, the third MLB series (all rounds), and the 38th MLB/NBA/NHL series (all rounds) to follow that win order to completion. The fifteen runs by the Texas Rangers in series 1152 Game 6 are the most in one best-of-7 MLB playoff game since series 936 Game 3, in which the New York Yankees scored 19 runs in Boston against the Red Sox in the 2004 American League Championship Series. The fifteen runs by the Texas Rangers are the most in one best-of-7 MLB playoff game by the home team since series 872 Game 5, in which the San Francisco Giants scored 16 runs against the Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series. Those fifteen runs by Texas are the most in one best-of-7 MLB Semifinals-round game by the home team since series 721 Game 7, in which the Atlanta Braves scored 15 runs against the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1996 National League Championship Series. Last, and most: The fifteen runs by the Texas Rangers in series 1152 Game 6 are the most in one best-of-7 American League Championship Series game ever by the home team, breaking the previous record of 13 runs set by the Boston Red Sox (in series 795 Game 3, in the 1999 American League Championship Series against the New York Yankees) and tied by the Anaheim Angels (in series 870 Game 5, in the 2002 ALCS against the Minnesota Twins). Texas scored nine of their fifteen runs in the bottom of the third inning. Those nine runs are the most ever in the bottom of the third inning of a best-of-7 format MLB playoff game in any round, breaking the previous record of eight runs (by the Arizona Diamondbacks in series 847 Game 6, against the New York Yankees in the 2001 MLB Finals). The fifteen runs by Texas ties the Atlanta Braves (series 721 Game 7; see above) for the most runs by the winning team in a best-of-7 MLB playoff series-winning game. The 39 total runs by the Texas Rangers in series 1152 are the most ever in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series requiring six games, bettering the previous high of 38 such runs (set also by the Texas Rangers, in series 1119, the 2010 ALCS). Those 39 total runs by Texas in series 1152 are the third-most in a best-of-7 MLB series (all rounds) requiring six games, below only the 45 total runs by the Toronto Blue Jays in series 650 (the 1993 MLB Finals) and the 43 total runs by the New York Yankees in series 36 (the 1936 MLB Finals).

After Game 5: The Detroit Tigers staved off elimination from the 2011 MLB playoffs with a 7-runs-5 home victory over the Texas Rangers, to narrow the Texas MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152 series lead to 3-games-2. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2, the Texas Rangers have a 1-0 overall series record, a 1-0 overall Game 6 record, a 1-0 Semifinals-round series record, and a 1-0 Semifinals-round Game 6 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-2, the Detroit Tigers have a 1-1 overall series record, a 2-0 overall Game 6 record, a 0-0 Semifinals-round series record, and a 0-0 Semifinals-round Game 6 record. The sole previous Texas best-of-7 MLB playoff Game 6 occurred in series 1119, in the 2010 American League Championship Series. The two Detroit best-of-7 Game 6 victories when trailing 3-games-2 occurred in series 5 (the 1909 MLB Finals, in which Detroit lost Game 7 to the Pittsburgh Pirates at home) and series 201 (the 1968 MLB Finals, in which Detroit won Game 7 from the St. Louis Cardinals on the road). MLB/NBA/NHL teams (all rounds) with a win/site order through the first five games of a best-of-7 playoff series of WWLWL @ HHVVV (such as Texas) have an active seven-series winning streak.

After Game 4: Trailing the host Detroit Tigers by two runs with as many as five complete innings elapsed, the Texas Rangers rallied to defeat Detroit 7-runs-3 in eleven innings in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152 Game 4. Texas thereby takes a 3-games-1 lead in series 1152. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Texas Rangers have a 1-0 overall series record, a 0-1 overall Game 5 record, a 1-0 Semifinals series record, and a 0-1 Semifinals Game 5 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 3-games-1, the Detroit Tigers have a 1-3 overall series record, a 1-3 overall Game 5 record, a 0-1 Semifinals series record, and a 0-1 Semifinals Game 5 record. With the 7-runs-3 victory by Texas in 11 innings, series 1152 becomes only the second best-of-7 MLB playoff series in which one team won two extra-inning games of equal duration by the same score (in series 649, the Philadelphia Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves 4-runs-3 in ten innings in both Game 1 in Philadelphia and Game 5 in Atlanta in the 1993 National League Championship Series). In the history of best-of-7 MLB/NBA/NHL Semifinals-round series, teams such as Texas which post a WWLW win order through four games irrespective of site have a 38-1 series record; the sole loss was sustained by the Toronto Blue Jays in series 456, in the 1985 American League Championship Series to the Kansas City Royals (who thus offer a favorable precedent to the Detroit Tigers in series 1152). The Texas Rangers trailed the Tigers in Detroit by two runs with as many as five full innings elapsed: In the history of best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2010, inclusive, road teams trailing by two runs after five full innings had a game record of only 11-63 (.149).

After Game 3: With MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152 having shifted to Michigan, the Detroit Tigers hosted and defeated the Texas Rangers 5-runs-2 to narrow the Texas series 1152 lead to 2-games-1. When leading a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Texas Rangers have a 1-0 overall series record, a 1-0 overall Game 4 record, a 1-0 Semifinals series record, and a 1-0 Semifinals Game 4 record. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-1, the Detroit Tigers have a 2-5 overall series record, a 3-4 overall Game 4 record, a 0-1 Semifinals series record, and a 0-1 Semifinals Game 4 record. With the Detroit Game 3 win, teams such as the Detroit Tigers in a best-of-7 MLB Semifinals series which lost Games 1-2 on the road now have a 10-2 Game 3 record. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series (all rounds), teams such as the Texas Rangers which win Games 1-2 at home but lose Game 3 on the road have an active 14-series winning streak. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series (all rounds), teams such as the Texas Rangers which lead 2-games-1 irrespective of win/site order have an active 11-Game 4 winning streak.

After Game 2: Through a grand-slam home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning, the Texas Rangers hosted and defeated the Detroit Tigers 7-runs-3 to take a 2-games-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152, in the 2011 MLB Semifinals (American League Championship Series). The Texas Rangers thus lead a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-nil for the first time. When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 2-games-nil, the Detroit Tigers have a 0-3 overall series record, a 2-1 overall Game 3 record, a 0-1 Semifinals-round series record, and a 1-0 Semifinals-round Game 3 record. In the history of best-of-7 format MLB Semifinals series from 1985 through 2010, inclusive, teams such as Texas that won Games 1 and 2 at home had only a 2-9 Game 3 record. The four-run series 1152 Game 2 margin of victory for the host Texas Rangers is the largest victory margin possible for a home team in extra innings, but in the history of best-of-7 format MLB playoff games beginning in 1905, a four-run victory margin by the home team in extra innings had never previously been achieved. The previous largest margin of victory by a home team in extra innings of a best-of-7 format MLB playoff game was three runs, set by the New York Giants in series 101 Game 1 (in the 1954 MLB Finals against the visiting Cleveland Indians).

After Game 1: The Texas Rangers hosted and defeated the Detroit Tigers 3-runs-2 to take a 1-game-nil lead in MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152, in the 2011 MLB Semifinals (American League Championship Series). The Texas Rangers thus lead a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil for the first time ever (in this, their third try). When trailing a best-of-7 MLB playoff series 1-game-nil, the Detroit Tigers have a 3-6 overall series record, a 6-3 overall Game 2 record, a 0-1 Semifinals series record, and a 0-1 Semifinals Game 3 record. In the history of best-of-7 MLB playoff series from 1905 through 2010, inclusive, home teams winning Game 1 by one run have a 17-9 (.654) series record irrespective of round. Only once before in best-of-7 MLB playoff series history has a home team won Game 1 by a 3-runs-2 score: In series 695 (in the 1995 American League Championship Series), the Seattle Mariners hosted and defeated the Cleveland Indians 3-runs-2 to take a 1-game-nil series lead; Cleveland won the series in six games. Whereas the Texas Rangers now hope to emulate their fellow Metroplex team in the NBA (the Dallas Mavericks), which won Game 1 at home in series 1150 (in the 2011 NBA Semifinals) and then won that series to advance to the 2011 NBA Finals, the Detroit Tigers now hope to emulate those same Dallas Mavericks in series 1151 (those very same 2011 NBA Finals) by losing Game 1 on the road but winning the series.

Pre-series assessment: In the 2011 regular season, Texas finished one game ahead of Detroit. From 1905 through the 2010 MLB Finals round, when MLB teams led their best-of-7 playoff series opponents by one regular-season game, they have posted a 3-3 (.500) best-of-7 series record in those series against those opponents. MLB/NBA/NHL best-of-7 playoff series 1152 is the 13th best-of-7 playoff series for Detroit, and the 3rd for Texas. In best-of-7 MLB playoff series, Detroit has a 5-7 series record, a 1-1 Semifinals-round series record, and a 3-9 Game 1 record, while Texas has a 1-1 series record, a 1-0 Semifinals-round record, and a 0-2 Game 1 record. Series 1152 is the first best-of-7 MLB playoff series meeting between Detroit and Texas.