ALCS Game 6: Red Sox advance to World Series with thrilling 5-2 win over Tigers

(USA Today)

The Boston Red Sox advanced to their first World Series since 2007, defeating Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers 5-2 in Game 6 of the American League Championship Series. Like David Ortiz in Game 2, Shane Victorino delivered the game's biggest's hit in the form a grand slam. His put Boston ahead for good in the seventh inning.

The hero, Shane Victorino. It doesn't get any big than a go-ahead grand slam in a pennant-clinching victory.

Xander Bogaerts was a thorn in Scherzer's side, drawing a lead-off walk in the third, a two-out double in the fifth that led to Boston's first run, and another walk in the seventh that ignited the game-changing rally. Big, big night for the rookie.

Max Scherzer was a bulldog for the Tigers, It was different outing than Game 2, where he dominated Boston's lineup for seven innings. He faced traffic in just about every frame and was touched for three runs in six plus, but he left the field with nothing to be ashamed of.

Reliever Jose Veras was on the wrong side of Victorino's grand slam. One batter prior, Jose Iglesias bobbled a ground ball that could have been an inning-ending double play.

Austin Jackson reached base twice, but got picked off first base in the middle of a potential big seventh inning for Detroit.

Franklin Morales was brought in to face Prince Fielder with two on and nobody out in the sixth. The moved backfired after Morales walked Fielder on four pitches. Manager John Farrell stuck with his against Victor Martinez, and that too backfired as V-Mart singled off the monster to drive in Detroit's only two runs.

Max Scherzer was clearly squeezed on an excellent 3-2 change up to Xander Bogaerts in the seventh. That set up Boston's game changing rally, though Jose Iglesias' fielding error that immediately followed didn't help matters, either.

In the top of the seventh, Stephen Drew made a diving stop and threw out Miguel Cabrera to end a potential rally.

• Tigers starting pitchers set an ALCS record with 53... and counting strikeouts.

• On the flip side, Red Sox batters sets an ALCS record by striking out 67... and counting times.

• Clay Buchholz’s remarkably slow pace on the mound.

• John Farrell's decision to play Xander Bogaerts paid off again.

• Dan Iassogna's inconsistent strike zone.

For Boston, a date with Adam Wainwright and the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night. Boston will announce their starter at a later time.

For Detroit, another offseason to regroup and wonder what could have been.

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Mark Townsend is a writer for Big League Stew on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at bigleaguestew@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!

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