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OAKLAND, Calif. Jordan Nolan Jersey . - After watching Max Scherzer breeze through a spectacular playoff opener, Detroit closer Joaquin Benoit began talking big. "We took the first step," Benoit said. "Its great. I feel like were already on the verge of the World Series again." The Tigers sure looked ready for another special October run, using a dominant performance by Scherzer to beat the Oakland Athletics 3-2 in the AL division series on Friday night. Scherzer overpowered the As with his blazing fastball, and then baffled them with his off-speed stuff. The right-hander struck out 11 over seven innings as the Tigers grabbed Game 1 of this playoff rematch from 2012. Miguel Cabrera helped stake Detroit to an early lead before the banged-up slugger left in the eighth as a precaution. "We won the game, I think thats the more important thing right now," Cabrera said. "For us, its not an issue. Its no time to complain, no time to worry." The only guy who could get anything going against Scherzer was Yoenis Cespedes — and that wasnt enough the way the likely Cy Young Award winner was pitching. The As struck out 16 times in all, a franchise record in a post-season game. "Today we noticed that my fastball seemed pretty good and my changeup seemed pretty good. Thats why I thought I was able to get into a groove and pitch deep into the game because of those two pitches," Scherzer said. "I thought I did a good job of attacking the zone and throwing first-pitch strikes, which I pride myself in." Cabrera, hindered by a groin strain late in a season of injuries for last years Triple Crown winner, didnt have to overextend himself on defence thanks to Scherzers 118-pitch gem. But he did look uncomfortable running out a grounder in the eighth. "I wasnt very comfortable taking him out of a one-run game, but there was a little bit more to it," manager Jim Leyland said. Cabrera and Alex Avila each hit first-inning RBI singles against 40-year-old All-Star Bartolo Colon, whose winless stretch against the Tigers extended to 10 1/2 years. Scherzer retired 16 of his first 18 batters and was nearly untouchable before Cespedes hit a two-run drive in the seventh for his first career playoff home run. The strikeouts were his most in seven post-season starts. Cespedes struck out in the ninth against Benoit, who retired the final four batters for the save. Leyland opted for Scherzer for the post-season opener over Justin Verlander, who goes Saturday night against 23-year-old rookie Sonny Gray in just his 11th career start. Verlander beat the As in Games 1 and 5 of their post-season series last October, helping Detroit survive on its way to the World Series. "I dont get caught up in the hoopla, where Im pitching," Scherzer said. The As missed early chances in Game 1 of the rematch — and there was little the raucous, yellow towel-waving sellout home crowd of 48,401 could do until Cespedes finally energized the ballpark. Scherzer received an American League-best 6.80 runs of support per nine innings over his 32 starts this season, but he didnt need anything more than those three first-inning runs in shutting down the AL West champions. The majors lone 20-game winner, Scherzer (21-3) allowed three hits and walked two. "Hes always tough, he won 21 games," As manager Bob Melvin said. "Scherzers a strikeout guy, hes a swing-and-miss guy." Scherzer issued a two-out walk to Coco Crisp in the third, and then retired his next eight batters in order before Crisp drew a full-count free pass in the sixth. Scherzer struck out the side in the fourth and recorded two more Ks in the fifth. Oakland had the tying run aboard in the eighth but Josh Donaldson popped out against Benoit. "Scherzer was terrific and the bullpen came in and did a fine job," Leyland said. "He was awfully determined. I think he was thrilled to get Game 1." Omar Infante added a pair of singles for a Tigers team determined to take this post-season run one step further after being swept by the San Francisco Giants in the 2012 World Series. Detroit nearly added a run in the sixth but Gold Glove right fielder Josh Reddick threw out Victor Martinez at the plate. Colon put himself in a hole from the start, surrendering Austin Jacksons double to lead off the game and then hitting Torii Hunter with a pitch. Cabrera singled up the middle for the first run, and then Prince Fielder grounded into a double play to bring home another. Avila added an RBI single. Cespedes hit a one-out triple over Andy Dirks head in the second but Oakland was unable to drive him in. Leyland went with Dirks in left over Jhonny Peralta, who made the playoff roster a week after completing a 50-game suspension for ties to the Biogenesis lab accused of distributing performance-enhancing drugs. Peralta lined out as a pinch hitter in the ninth. Colon had hoped for a triumphant return to the playoff stage eight years after his last appearance with the Angels. The right-handers 10 hits allowed were his most in 10 career post-season starts. "Bartolo threw an outstanding game," catcher Stephen Vogt said. "He made a couple of mistakes early and they took advantage." Colon, who wasnt part of the As playoffs last season while serving a 50-game suspension for a positive testosterone test, won 18 games this season but couldnt break out of his decade-long funk against the Tigers. The burly right-hander is winless — going 0 and 8 — in 14 starts against the Tigers since a victory on April 13, 2003. Cespedes was back in left field after missing the final two regular-season games at Seattle with a right shoulder injury. NOTES: Both catchers took hard foul tips off the mask. ... The crowd was the largest at the Coliseum since 53,974 on June 27, 2004, against the San Francisco Giants. ... Hunter was Colons first hit batsman all year. "The only ball I feel bad about is the one that hit Torii," Colon said. ... Fielder snapped an 0-for-13 stretch in the post-season with a third-inning single. ... First-pitch temperature was 77 degrees. Zach Bogosian Jersey . However, it wasnt a problem on Monday night. Evgeni Nabokov made 23 saves for his 56th career shutout in the New York Islanders 3-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings on Monday night. Cheap Adidas Sabres Jerseys . On the eve of the 2013-14 NBA season, he can finally take a step back and allow his team to do the talking. http://www.cheapsabresjerseys.com/?tag=adidas-tim-horton-jersey . 3 seed Phillip Kohlschreiber from Germany. Defending champion Marin Cilic also reached the semifinals -- his fourth in Zagreb -- defeating fellow Croat Ivan Dodig. German qualifier Bjorn Phau beat Dudi Sela of Israel to reach his first semifinals in nearly five years. ANAHEIM, Calif. -- Martin Jones NHL debut ended in a nine-round shootout, with the Anaheim Ducks high-scoring lineup taking turns bearing down on the Los Angeles Kings new goalie. Jones faced up to the pressure and turned away everything he saw, leading the Kings to a strong start to the Freeway Faceoff. Jones made 26 saves before his perfect shootout performance, and Dwight King scored the only shootout goal Tuesday night in the Kings 3-2 victory over the Ducks. Jeff Carter and captain Dustin Brown scored for the Kings, who have earned a point in 13 of their last 14 games. They barely escaped Orange County with a second point thanks to Jones, the 23-year-old AHL goalie who got a promotion after Jonathan Quicks injury. "To be honest, Ive been in that situation before," Jones said of the lengthy shootout. "Obviously, the shooters are a little bit of a higher level up here, but I just wanted to stay patient and stick with what Ive been doing down (in the AHL). Jones has spent nearly three weeks as the backup to Ben Scrivens, who started the Kings last 10 games after Quick went down with a groin injury. Scrivens has been one of the NHLs best netminders in Quicks absence, keeping Jones out of the crease until this back-to-back set. Jones was ready for the long-delayed opportunity, even against Anaheims vaunted collection of forwards. "Once you start the day and start going through your routine, everything is pretty familiar," Jones said. "And its the same game. It was intense, for sure. I wanted to make sure I was just prepared and as focused as I could be, and try to enjoy it a little bit if I could. It was a great experience, and something Ive dreamed about for a long time -- playing in an NHL game and getting a win. It was everything it was cracked up to be." Southern Californias two NHL teams started off their season series with an entertaining game befitting two clubs entering the night with their best combined record (35-14-8) in the two-decade, 113-game history of this head-to-head rivalry. Anaheim veteran Jonas Hiller made a season-high 49 saves and stopped Los Angeles first eight shootout attempts, but King scored on a wrist shot before Jones stopped Mathieu Perreault to end it. "Its good to see a kid play in his first game and get a win somehow," Los Angeles coach Darryl Sutter said. "Hes aa pretty poised guy when you watch him. Gilbert Perreault Jersey. Hopefully this is something he can build on." Corey Perry and captain Ryan Getzlaf scored for the Ducks, still the only NHL team that hasnt lost in regulation at home. Anaheim is 10-0-2 at Honda Center, becoming just the third team to earn a point in its first 12 home games since the implementation of the shootout in 2005. "Its tough to lose it that way," said Hiller, who finished two saves shy of his career high. "I dont know if (King) missed the shot a little big, but it kind of caught me right between the pad and my glove. Its a tough one." Perry scored a tiebreaking power-play goal for Anaheim early in the third period, but Brown tied it for Los Angeles a few minutes later. Both teams had fruitless power plays during a hair-raising overtime, including a two-man advantage for Anaheim. "(Hiller) was tremendous," Anaheim coach Bruce Boudreau said. "He was the reason we got a point tonight. When you have the opportunity on your stick, whether you deserve to win the game or not, youve got to put it away. That killer instinct has been eluding us for a little bit now. Weve got to find it somewhere." The local rivals finally got their season series underway in front of a raucous bipartisan crowd. The 2012 Stanley Cup champion Kings and the 2013 Pacific Division champion Ducks are both serious title contenders again this year, and theyll meet at Dodger Stadium on Jan. 25 for a landmark outdoor game. Perry put the Ducks ahead when he roofed a backhand off a pass from Penner, but just 3:29 later, Stoll won a faceoff to Brown, whose heavy shot escaped Hillers glove and trickled into Anaheims net. The goal was Browns first in seven games, just his second in 14 games. Los Angeles is in an 0-for-25 power-play slump over the past seven games. NOTES: Los Angeles scratched LW Daniel Carcillo and RW Linden Vey for the second straight game, dressing Matt Frattin and Colin Fraser. ... Anaheim scratched D Alex Grant, who scored a goal in his NHL debut in San Jose last Saturday. ... Los Angeles signed the 23-year-old Jones as an unrestricted free agent five years ago during his junior career in Calgary. He rose to a starting position for the Kings AHL affiliate in Manchester, but was stuck behind Quick and Jonathan Bernier, traded to Toronto last summer. ' ' '