Champagne bottle corks popped in the Tigers clubhouse on Sunday as the team swept a twinbill from the California Angels to win the American League pennant.
In the clinching nightcap, the Tigers jumped out to a 5-1 lead by the fourth inning as Denny McLain was cruising on the mound.
But the Angels weren't going to go quietly into the Detroit night.
Buck Rodgers hit a solo home run in the seventh inning, and Don Mincher added a two-run shot (his third of the series) in the eighth to make the score 5-4 as the Tiger Stadium crowd squirmed with nervousness.
Had the Tigers lost the second game, a one-game playoff against Boston for the pennant would have been played on Monday at a site TBD via coin flip.
But closer Fred Gladding pitched a 1-2-3 ninth to seal the pennant.
Game 1 of the World Series against the St. Louis Cardinals will be played on Wednesday in Detroit.
Bob Gibson will face Mickey Lolich.
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