Justin Verlander pitched 8 1/3 innings, allowing only a leadoff homer in the ninth inning to Eduardo Nuñez, and the Tigers take a 3-0 lead in their series against the New York Yankees, beating them 2-1.  Phil Coke got the last two outs, including a strikeout of Raul Ibañez with a couple of runners on to end the game.  Only one team has ever come back from a 3-0 deficit in a seven-game series, and, I’m sorry to say, I just don’t think or believe that history is going to repeat itself this year.  The Yankees are not hitting at all, and in 30 innings in this series, they have been held scoreless in 28 of those innings.  Those numbers do not lend themselves to a miracle comeback.  Tonight’s game is scheduled to start at 8 pm.  Max Scherzer will take the mound for Detroit to try and finish the sweep, New York counters with C. C. Sabathia.    

In St. Louis this afternoon, we have what should be a good pitching matchup, involving two 16-game winners.  Matt Cain will toe the rubber for the Giants, while the Cardinals will send Kyle Lohse to the hill.  Marco Scutaro, who was injured on a hard slide by  Matt Holliday in game two, is expected to be in the lineup for the Giants.   

TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Only one team in major league history has managed to erase a 3-0 deficit and come back to win a 7-game series.  Who done it? Tell you later, alligator. 

The Dolphins are going to enjoy their bye week this week, after beating the St. Louis Rams 17-14 last Sunday, notching their second consecutive victory.  Rookie QB Ryan Tannehill continues to show improvement every week, and, for the first time in a long time, I am now certain that the light at the end of the tunnel is NOT an oncoming train.  The next Dolphin game is a doozie, as they travel to New York to take on the Jets at 1:00 pm on the 28th.  Going into this week’s action, all four teams in the AFC East are tied with 3-3 records.  The rest of the NFL schedule this week:  

THURSDAY

Seattle Seahawks @ San Francisco 49ers    

SF -7 8:20 pm NFL Network

SUNDAY

Tennessee Titans @ Buffalo Bills

Buf -3 1:00 pm

Cleveland Browns @ Indianapolis Colts

Ind -3 1:00 pm

Green Bay Packers @ St. Louis Rams

StL +5 1:00 pm

Arizona Cardinals @ Minnesota Vikings

Min - 6 1:00 pm

Washington Redskins @ New York Giants

NY -6.5 1:00 pm

New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Bucs

TB +2.5 1:00 pm

Dallas Cowboys @ Carolina Panthers

Car +1 1:00 pm

Baltimore Ravens @ Houston Texans

Hou -6 1:00 pm

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Oakland Raiders

Oak -4 4:25 pm

New York Jets @ New England Patriots

NE -10.5 4:25 pm CBS Ch. 4

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cincinnati Bengals

Cin +1 8:20 pm NBC Ch. 6

MONDAY

Detroit Lions @ Chicago Bears

SD -5 8:30 pm    ESPN

Bye week for the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, Miami Dolphins,  Philadelphia Eagles, and San Diego Chargers.

In college football this weekend, FIU takes their show on the road this saturday when they visit Troy.  Game time is 1:00 pm, don’t miss the game broadcast (in English) on your smartphone or on the computer at www.fiusports.com.  I will be handling the play-by-play, and Pete Pelegrin will be handling the color analysis.  The University of Miami Hurricanes are coming off consecutive losses to Notre Dame and North Carolina, and they will be at the Seven Names Stadium on Saturday at 8:00 pm against Florida State.  You can watch the game on ABC, Channel 10 in Miami.  ESPN-U on your cable or satellite system.  In other games involving the top-ten teams this week, on Thursday, #3 Oregon visits Arizona State.  On Saturday, #1 Alabama is at Tennessee, #2 Florida hosts #7 South Carolina, #4 Kansas State is at #13 West Virginia, #5 Notre Dame is at home against BYU, #6 LSU travels to #18 Texas A&M, #8 Oregon State hosts Utah, Kansas is at #9 Oklahoma, and #10 USC is at home against Colorado.   

The Miami Heat are back home after their tour of China, and their exhibition season continues as they return to the court on Thursday, here at the AAA, against the Detroit Pistons.  On Saturday, the San Antonio Spurs will come calling.  

THE ANSWER TO TODAY’S TRIVIA QUESTION:  Only one team in major league history has managed to erase a 3-0 deficit and come back to win a 7-game series.  Who done it?  It happened in 2004, when the Boston Red Sox came all the way back to beat the Yankees and then went on to win the world series and erase the memories of the curse of the bambino.     

Don’t miss my two “Descarga Deportiva” segments (for the Spanish-challenged, “Sports Jam Session”) every day, Monday through Friday, at 9:25 am and 12:15 pm on Radio Esperanza, 1550 AM or on the internet on www.miradioesperanza.com.  

Behave yourselves, and always remember that tomorrow will bring us a brand new day.