DETROIT -- On a night of desperation, dispute and finally, delirium, Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers kept their season alive by the slimmest of margins. A tying home run, helped along by a couple of fans in right field. A full-count pitch with the bases loaded that was low and inside but became strike three when the batter swung. A line drive down the line with the bases still full -- foul by a few feet. During a relief outing to remember, Scherzer escaped a major jam one inning after two fans reached out to try to reel in Victor Martinezs disputed home run, and the Tigers rallied past the Oakland Athletics 8-6 on Tuesday to force a decisive fifth game in their AL division series. Scherzer was in line to start Game 5, but the 21-game winner came on Tuesday instead for his first relief appearance since the 2011 post-season. He wriggled out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the eighth inning and got the win. "We took our best shot and we had to because we were behind the 8-ball a little bit," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "We took that shot and, hey, both teams are going to have a good pitcher going two days from now." After avoiding elimination, the Tigers can now send Justin Verlander to the mound Thursday night in Oakland. Verlander shut out the As at the Coliseum in Game 5 of the division series last year. Oakland hasnt announced a starter for Thursday. It is Bartolo Colons turn in the post-season rotation, but rookie Sonny Gray could also come back on normal rest after a brilliant performance in Game 2. "We havent decided anything yet," manager Bob Melvin said. Playing catch-up most of the way in Game 4, the Tigers tied it first with Jhonny Peraltas three-run homer in the fifth and then on Martinezs solo shot in the seventh. A couple of fans attempted to catch Martinezs drive, and at least one of them bobbled the ball as he reached over the railing above the wall. That prevented right fielder Josh Reddick from having any chance at a leaping grab. Reddick and centre fielder Coco Crisp immediately protested, pointing up at the stands in the hope of a fan-interference call. But umpires upheld the home run after a replay review. "I have no doubt I was going to catch that ball. When I looked at the replay, thats what I thought," Reddick said. "Its totally frustrating that a fan can influence the game." Gary Darling, the crew chief, was umpiring in right field. He disagreed, even after the replay. "It was clear he was not going to catch the ball, so it was clearly going to be a home run," Darling said. "There wasnt any other evidence on replay to turn it another way." Scherzer came out of the bullpen in the seventh and gave up a run, then ran into trouble again in the eighth. With the Tigers ahead 5-4, he allowed a walk and a double to start the inning. But after an intentional walk to load the bases, Leyland left his ace on the mound. Scherzer struck out Reddick, who swung and missed at what would have been ball four on a low, inside pitch. Stephen Vogt struck out too, but pinch-hitter Alberto Callaspos line drive to left nearly fell in before landing foul. Callaspo eventually lined out to centre. "It was surreal," said Scherzer, the winning pitcher in both Detroit victories this series. "Maybe its not the ninth inning, but thats the stuff you dream about pitching -- bases loaded, eighth inning, no outs, and I was able to do it." Detroit, held hitless through four innings in a game of twists and turns, added three runs in the eighth on a wild pitch and a two-run double by Omar Infante that made it 8-4. Yoenis Cespedes hit a two-run single in the ninth, bringing the potential tying run to the plate, but Joaquin Benoit struck out Seth Smith to end it. Crisp had four hits and three runs for the As, who led 3-0 and 4-3 but couldnt close out the defending American League champions. The Oakland bullpen hadnt allowed a run all series until Tuesday. After Crisp put the As ahead 4-3 with an RBI single off Scherzer in the seventh, Martinez lifted a fly to right against reliever Sean Doolittle. It would have been an extremely difficult catch for Reddick, and it looked as though the ball might have cleared the wall even without the fans involvement. It was certainly an anxious wait while umpires reviewed the play, which brought back memories of Derek Jeters fan-aided homer against Baltimore in the 1996 AL championship series at Yankee Stadium. Peralta followed with a double, and Austin Jackson -- who was 1 for 14 with 10 strikeouts in the series to that point -- managed a broken-bat single to put the Tigers ahead 5-4. It appeared Detroit was in big trouble in the eighth, but Scherzer was able to protect the one-run lead, and the Tigers eventually added to it. Detroit starter Doug Fister allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings before being relieved by Scherzer, who came back on three days rest after his victory in Game 1. Oakland took the series lead with a win in Game 3, and Crisps leadoff triple Tuesday put the Tigers on their heels again. Detroit brought the infield in -- a sign that even one run could be vital -- and Crisp scored on Jed Lowries one-out single, putting immediate pressure on the Tigers slumbering offence. It appeared the Athletics were on their way to the ALCS when Lowries two-run homer in the fifth gave Oakland a three-run lead. With slugger Miguel Cabrera still hobbled by injuries, As rookie Dan Straily held the Tigers hitless until the fifth. But after a bloop single by Prince Fielder, Martinez grounded a base hit to right. Peralta, who moved from shortstop to left field after returning from his late-season drug suspension, lined one over the wall in left, finally bringing the Comerica Park fans to life. NOTES: Cabrera hit a sixth-inning single. Hes reached base safely in all 28 of his post-season games with the Tigers. ... Detroit had gone seven games without a homer. ... Peraltas homer was the first extra-base hit allowed by Straily since Sept. 7, according to STATS. Neven Subotic Jersey . The Brazilian-born strikers brace drew him level with Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo as the leagues leading scorers with 17 goals apiece through 16 rounds. "The important thing is to help the team win, not the goals," Diego Costa said. After a first half dominated by defence, Atletico pressed Valencia into its area and Diego Costa did the rest. Lukasz Piszczek Jersey . Consider it received. Attacking on offence early and often, the Penguins topped the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 on Saturday night as Jussi Jokinen scored the go-ahead goal in the third period to help give Pittsburgh a 3-2 lead in the Eastern Conference playoff series. http://www.dortmundfcfanshop.com/c-24-roman-burki-fc-borussia-dortmund-jersey.aspx .com) - James Harden put the Houston Rockets on his back and willed them to an overtime victory on Thursday. Dzenis Burnic Jersey .J. -- Pete Carroll said it was the suspension of linebacker Bruce Irvin last spring that finally got the attention of the rest of the Seattle Seahawks that they needed to be taking their commitment to the team more seriously. Jadon Sancho Jersey . The Argentine midfielder made the announcement himself on Twitter on Tuesday and posted a picture of his swollen left foot. His message said he would be out "at least three weeks. LONDON -- Nicolas Anelka was banned for five games by the English Football Association on Thursday and immediately suspended by West Bromwich Albion for a racially aggravated goal celebration. The French striker performed the gesture, which is known in his homeland as a "quenelle" and has been described as an "inverted Nazi salute," during a Premier League match in December. Although an FA disciplinary panel backed Anelkas insistence that he was not being intentionally anti-Semitic, performing the gesture was still found to be racist and abusive. Anelka, who appeared at the hearing this week, received the minimum five-game ban for racism offences, was also fined 80,000 pounds ($133,000) and ordered to complete an education course. Anelka can appeal, and he must decide within seven days of receiving the panels written reasons. But West Brom responded to the verdict by suspending him while the central England club conducts an internal investigation and awaits the conclusion of the FA process. "The club acknowledges that the FA panel did not find that Nicolas Anelka is an anti-Semite or that he intended to express or promote anti-Semitism by his use of the quenelle," West Brom said in a statement. "However, the club cannot ignore the offence that his actions have caused, particularly to the Jewish community, nor the potential damage to the clubs reputation." The panel found Anelka guilty of two charges -- that the gesture "was abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper," and it was racially offensive. "The misconduct was an aggravated breach ... in that it included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief," the FA verdict said. Anelkas legal team said he was "pleased" to be cleared of anti-Semitism. "He is now waiting to receive the commissions full reasons for their decision before considering whether or not to appeal," the statement said. Aneelka performed the quenelle as he celebrated scoring in West Broms 3-3 draw with West Ham on Dec.dddddddddddd 28. The gesture involves pointing one straightened arm downward while touching the shoulder with the opposite hand. It was popularized by French comedian Dieudonne MBala MBala, who has been convicted multiple times for inciting racial hatred or anti-Semitism. The Community Security Trust, which protects British Jews, said Anelka has introduced an "ugly anti-Semitic gesture into British football." "We acknowledge Anelkas denial of anti-Semitic intent, but his action was clear and the FAs zero tolerance approach to racism meant there could be no other outcome," CST chief executive David Delew said. "This verdict sends a strong message to Jewish players and supporters at all levels of the game that the FA will act against anti-Semitic acts if they are reported." The European Jewish Congress expressed concern that Anelka was yet to express any regret over the case. "Even if the FA is not convinced that the players intent at the time was anti-Semitic, he surely knows now the origins of the quenelle and the hurt and pain it caused the Jewish community, yet we are still waiting for an apology," EJC President Dr Moshe Kantor said. "Anelkas silence speaks volumes." The organization hopes the FA will use the case to help clamp down on abuse against Jews. "Anti-Semitism remains the fastest growing hate in football, on the field and in the stadiums, and we hope that this episode will be used positively to once and for all stamp out hatred for Jews in football," Kantor said. Anelka avoided the heaviest racism ban imposed recently by the FA, eight games for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez in 2011 for racially abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. Chelsea captain John Terry received a four-match ban the following year, before the minimum five-game racism ban was introduced in England. ' ' '