Athletics force Game 5 in ALDS with 3-run rally in 9th to beat Tigers 4-3

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Oakland Athletics\' Stephen Drew is out at third on a tag by Detroit Tigers third baseman Miguel Cabrera after hitting an RBI double to score Coco Crisp in the sixth inning of Game 4 of their American League division baseball series in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg)

OAKLAND, Calif. – Seth Smith hit a game-tying two-run double off Detroit closer Jose Valverde in the ninth inning and Coco Crisp capped Oakland’s most dramatic comeback yet with an RBI single as the Athletics staved off elimination for a second straight night with a 4-3 victory over the Detroit Tigers in Game 4 of the AL division series Wednesday.

The A’s rode 14 walkoff wins in the regular season to an improbable AL West title. Those paled in comparison to No. 15, which set up a win-or-go-home Game 5 against Justin Verlander and the Tigers.

Josh Reddick started the rally with a single just under the glove of diving second baseman Omar Infante. Josh Donaldson followed with a double off the wall in left-centre and both runners scored on Smith’s double. Two outs later, Crisp lined a single to right and Smith scored easily when Avisail Garcia couldn’t handle the ball.

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