Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 25

SECTION i ASBURY PARK PRESS APP.COM MONDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2011 it tj mil Pfigil KURT WINS AT DOVER TO ENTER NASCAR CHASE CONTENTION PAGE D1 si il-Aw1 s-ijo ALDS GAME 2 TIGERS 5, YANKEES 3 Yankees' late rally fizzles Vfil Bilk -s ALDS SCHEDULE Saturday: New York 9, Detroit 3 Sunday: Detroit 5, New York 3 Today: New York (Sabathia 19-8) at Detroit (Verlander 24-5), 8:37 p.m. (TBS, 880 AM) Tuesday: New York (Burnett 11-11 or Hughes 5-5) at Detroit (Porcello 14-9), 8:37 p.m. (TBS, 880 AM) x-Thursday: Detroit at New York, 8:07 or 8:37 p.m. (TBS, 880 AM) Jorge Posada hit his first postseason triple in the ninth and Detroit catcher Alex Avila slipped on a slick on-deck circle, preventing him from catching a foul popup for the final out. That seemed to be just the break New York needed to complete a stirring comeback from a four-run deficit.

But closer Jose Valverde, perfect in 49 save chances this season, retired Game 1 star Robinson Cano on a grounder with two on to end it. "After the Granderson popup, where the catcher slipped, I said, 'Wow, this might be our inning, we might have a See YANKEES, Page D7 Associated Press NEW YORK This is no time for the New York Yankees to stop hitting. Justin Verlander is on deck for Detroit, and he figures to pitch more than one inning today. Unable to finish off a late rally in the rain, New York was beaten by Max Scherzer and the Tigers 5-3 on Sunday, tying their best-of-five American League playoff at a game apiece. Shut out until the eighth, the Yankees tried to fight back on solo homers by Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher.

Russell Martin reacts after being hit by a pitch during the fifth inning, getty images Key Nicks NFL: Week 4 I Record-M I I B9 1Mb'' 'iflf- Questionable ruling helps Big Blue rally i i Jets in trouble with Pats up next BALTIMORE The Jets are in trouble, and Rex Ryan's not going to be able to talk his way out of this one. A week after his defense stunk up the joint in the Bay Area, the NFL universe was at least mildly curious about Gang Green's true intentions this season when they tuned in Sunday night. This time they got to see an offense that was completely overmatched. And who knows what the Jets have in store for everyone next weekend in Foxbor-ough, but with the Patriots crushing the Raiders in Oakland on Sunday it doesn't figure to go well. And so goes their road junket against the AFC elite.

Hey, the Ravens' defense is very good. Everyone knows that. But it was the way the Jets were overwhelmed that leaves you wondering about this group. With no running game to speak of, quarterback Mark Sanchez got rag-dolled all night at Bank Stadium, with four Sanchez turnovers resulting in 24 points, and a 34-17 win for the See EDELSON, Page D3 r.4 THE WEEK AHEAD IN Associated Press GLENDALE, Ariz. Eli Manning needed less than a minute, and some good fortune on a play that could have ruined it all, to turn a sad afternoon into a sweet victory.

Manning, playing at the scene of his 2008 Super Bowl triumph, threw two touchdown passes in a 58-second span late in the game and the Giants rallied to stun the Arizona Cardinals 31-27 on Sunday. The scoring passes of 2 yards to Jake Ballard with 3:37 to go and 29 yards to Hakeem Nicks with 2:39 left came after the Cardinals (1-3) seemingly had taken control at 27-17 on Beanie Wells' third rushing touchdown of the game with 5:16 to go. The go-ahead touchdown came after Manning threw 29 yards to Victor Cruz, who stumbled to the ground, got up and left the ball on the ground on a play the Cardinals insisted was a fumble. The referee said the call could not be challenged because Cruz "gave himself up" on the play and therefore was down. The rule book says a play is over when a runner "declares himself down by falling to the ground, or kneeling, and making no effort to advance." Cruz added more confusion by saying he thought he'd been touched by a defender.

"I saw the guy coming and I wanted to get down," he said. "I thought I was tagged down and I got up and was going to the next play. I thought I was touched so the ref called it down. I felt like I was touched, I thought somebody touched me. I guess in the heat of the moment you probably don't feel it or you think someone touched you, but I definitely thought I was touched." Whatever happened, Manning was relieved.

"We got a break on that one I think," he said. "I thought it was going to get ruled a fumble and I saw it pretty clear. I don't know what the call was or why." Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said all he knew was that the referee told him it could not be challenged. "What's the understanding of that rule? I don't know," Whisenhunt said. "I'd like to think it shouldn't have come to that play.

That's kind of the way I See BREAK, Page D3 Giants wide receiver Hakeem Nicks (88) celebrates after scoring the game-winning touchdown, ap HE'S THE MAN-NING QB Eli Manning came up huge for the second straight week, guiding the Giants to another big road win. His stats on Sunday: MLB PLAYOFFS The Yankees continue their ALDS series with the Detroit Tigers today when aces CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander face off in Detroit for Game 3 (8:37 p.m., TBS). The series continues in Detroit on Tuesday (TBA). In the NLDS, the Phillies and Cardinals head to St. Louis for Game 3 on Tuesday (TBA).

The National League games are also on TBS. NFL WEEK 5 The Giants host the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday at 1 p.m. (FOX). Also on Sunday, The Jets travel to New England (4:15 p.m., CBS) to take on their AFC East rivals. The Eagles head to Buffalo to take on the surprising Bills, 1 p.m.

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