Stephen Vogt's hit gives A's walk-off 1-0 win over Tigers

OAKLAND, Calif. -- A pair of rookies, one heralded and the other a relative unknown, provided everything the Athletics needed to tie their AL Division Series with Detroit at one game apiece last night.

Stephen Vogt hit a bases-loaded single with none out in the ninth inning to give the Athletics a 1-0 victory over the Tigers after Oakland rookie Sonny Gray matched zeros with Justin Verlander in a sensational playoff debut.

Yoenis Cespedes and Seth Smith hit back-to-back singles against loser Al Alburquerque and Josh Reddick was intentionally walked before Rick Porcello entered to face Vogt. He lined a clean single past drawn-in shortstop Jose Iglesias and into left-center for his first career game-winning hit.

Said Vogt, "You come up with bases loaded in the ninth, that's what you dream of."

Game 3 is tomorrow afternoon in Detroit. Jarrod Parker, who pitched Game 1 at Comerica Park last year and lost to Verlander, goes for the A's against 14-game winner Anibal Sanchez. "It's going to be a lot of fun the next three games," Gray said.

Gray hung tough with a masterful Verlander in a thrilling pitchers' duel between a rookie making his 11th career start and the 2011 AL MVP and Cy Young Award winner.

"I knew there was going to be a lot of adrenaline and how I was able to harness that adrenaline was going to be a big factor in the game," Gray said. "It was awesome because I was still able to locate my pitches without being too shaky."

Gray struck out nine in eight dazzling innings, allowing four hits. Verlander allowed four hits and struck out 11 in seven innings to give him 33 Ks in his past three postseason outings against Oakland.

It was the first game in postseason history in which both starters had nine strikeouts and no runs allowed.

"Verlander was absolutely terrific," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "This is postseason pitching. That's what you saw tonight at its absolute best. Everybody had to battle at their best tonight because both pitchers were outstanding."