Tigers Take Game 1 of ALCS [J. Mark English]

OAKLAND -- Work the count. Wear down the pitcher. Get guys on base, hit them along and get them in.

On most nights of the season, it's the "Moneyball" variation that the A's have ridden into this American League Championship Series. On Tuesday night, it became part of Tigerball. It's aggressive, yet patient, and it worked to perfection against Barry Zito in Game 1 to regain the home-field advantage they lost when they couldn't take the AL Central.

"Right now, [the offense is] right," hitting coach Don Slaught said after the 5-1 win, "and it's a perfect time to do it."