The Oakland Athletics' season will continue for at least one more day as the A's shut out the Detroit Tigers at home, 2-0, Tuesday night and now trail the Tigers 2-1 in the AL divisional series.
Pitcher Brett Anderson shut down the Tigers through six innings and Yoenis Cespedes and Seth Smith provided all the limited offense the A's needed to stave off elimination.
Anderson needed 80 pitches to get through six innings, holding the Tigers to two hits and two walks while striking out six. He handed the game off to the A's bullpen who closed the door on the Tigers, highlighted by Sean Doolittle striking out the side in the eighth inning. Grant Balfour pitched a scoreless ninth for his first save of the postseason.
Anderson was helped by Cespedes and Coco Crisp in the outfield as each player made stellar plays to hold the Tigers scoreless. Crisp robbed Prince Fielder of a home run early in the game to keep the A's up 1-0.
It was the only fly ball Anderson allowed. The Tigers grounded out 11 times and struck out six times.
Smith connected to make it 2-0 in the fifth inning off of Anibal Sanchez. The A's wouldn't need the run cushion, however, as only two Tigers would make it on base in the final three innings.
The win extended the A's lifeline for one more game and they will go up against Max Scherzer on Wednesday. A.J. Griffin takes to the hill for the A's to keep the good times flowing.