Don Kelly and Delmon Young hit first-inning home runs, Doug Fister and the Detroit bullpen held on and the Tigers edged the New York Yankees 3-2 Thursday night to win the deciding Game 5 of the AL playoff series.
The Tigers escaped jams all game and advanced to the AL championship series against Texas.
Jose Valverde shut down the Yankees in the ninth as the Tigers eliminated New York in the division series for the second time in six seasons.
Fister, who lost to Ivan Nova in the opener, stranded six runners in the second through fourth innings, then allowed Robinson Cano's solo homer into the right-field second deck in the fifth.
Tigers ace Justin Verlander will start the ALCS opener at Texas on Saturday night against the Rangers' C.J. Wilson.
