scherzer cultivated a dominant performance in game 1 of the 2013 alds versus the oakland athletics, recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just one hit through the first six innings, before surrendering a two-run homer to yoenis céspedes. he finished with seven innings pitched, giving up three hits, as he and the tigers won the game, 3–2. he struck out each of josh donaldson, brandon moss, and josh reddick twice. scherzer was in line to make a game 5 start in the same series, but facing elimination in game 4, manager jim leyland chose to bring him in as a reliever in the seventh inning. scherzer gave up the go-ahead run in the top of the inning, but the tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the frame. scherzer then loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the eighth, but wriggled out of trouble by striking out josh reddick and stephen vogt, then getting alberto callaspo to line out to center field. the tigers won the game, and scherzer earned the victory to go to 2–0 in the series.