Tigers eliminate the Yankees from playoffs

Reporting from New York -- When Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter were newcomers to the major leagues, the New York Yankees were the kings of late-inning comebacks, especially when everyone was watching. But no matter how hard the two warhorses tore down the base line Thursday night, no matter how closely Jeter flirted with the right-field wall, they could not deliver another helping of the old October magic.

With their postseason hopes on the line, the Yankees could not get the hit they needed to give them a chance to play for their 41st American League pennant.

Consecutive home runs by Don Kelly and Delmon Young put the Detroit Tigers ahead in the first inning of the deciding Game 5 of an AL division series, and New York could not escape the 2-0 hole.

Jose Valverde did what he has done all year. He converted his 51st consecutive save, finishing a 3-2 win that sends the Tigers to Texas for the AL Championship Series.

Justin Verlander is expected to face the Rangers’ C.J. Wilson on Saturday, and Joe Girardi could hardly believe the event will be played without his Yankees.

“It’s terrible,” the Yankees’ manager said. “We only accomplished one goal when the [regular] season ended. This is a real empty feeling. It hurts.”

Tigers starter Doug Fister worked the first five innings. Jim Leyland replaced him with Max Scherzer, who won Game 2 as a starter, and then turned to Joaquin Benoit and the ultra-deliberate Valverde, who struck out Alex Rodriguez to finish a perfect ninth.

Perhaps the game’s biggest outs came in the seventh inning. A one-out infield single by Jeter was followed by Curtis Granderson’s single to right and Robinson Cano’s cue-shot single to the left side of the infield, loading the bases for Rodriguez.

Benoit then used his changeup to strike out baseball’s highest-paid player. Mark Teixeira drew a two-out walk, forcing home a run that cut the Tigers’ lead to 3-2, but Benoit then threw a fastball past Nick Swisher to end the inning.

“What a gutty performance,” Leyland said.

With Brett Gardner on first after a two-out single in the eighth, Jeter sent a pitch from Benoit deep to right. But Kelly faded back in front of the wall for the catch.

Leyland got choked up talking about Kelly afterward. Kelly’s home run into the right-field bleachers against Ivan Nova rewarded Leyland for not only starting him at third base, but also batting him second — a decision Leyland made in part because of the short porch in right.

“He’ll have this memory forever,” Leyland said.

Nova left with a sore right forearm after two innings. Girardi wound up using seven pitchers, with his ace, CC Sabathia, making his first career relief appearance.

The loss could have been the final game with the Yankees for Posada, a free agent-to-be who was limited to designated hitter duties this season. There will also be questions about the status of General Manager Brian Cashman, whose contract is expiring.

progers@tribune.com