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Justin Verlander #35 of the Detroit Tigers pitches in the second inning during the game against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Comerica Park on July 31, 2011 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)Leon Halip/Getty Images

The Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers were nearly afterthoughts on that historic final day of the season last week, momentarily brushed aside by an epic comeback from the Tampa Bay Rays and the usual imposing shadow cast by the New York Yankees.

But the Rangers quickly dispatched Tampa Bay, cooling off the red-hot Rays immediately and winning their ALDS, 3-1. The Rangers were helped by Adrian Beltre's Mr. October impression, as he became the first player to hit three home runs in an ALDS game, in the series-clinching Game 4 victory.

The Tigers followed suit by casting out the $200 million Yankees, Tigers closer Jose Valverde finishing them off in Game 5, three games after he declared the series "over."

Now the American League Championship Series starts on Saturday night in Texas and Valverde laughed amid his celebration late Thursday when asked if he had a prediction.

"Not yet," he said. "Not yet."

Wise choice. A week ago, amid the buzz on the season's final day, few might have predicted this matchup, after all.

Now that it's here, though, it presents an impressive one straight out of the gate, with rested Rangers ace C.J. Wilson battling Justin Verlander, who had a season so dominant, he's gathered rare support for a pitcher as an MVP candidate.

Turns out the rain from Game 1 of the ALDS that forced Verlander (24-5, 2.40 regular season) to make just one start in the series turned out to be a good thing for the Tigers, who can now start the ALCS with their ace, thanks partly to manager Jim Leyland's discipline in not using him in relief in the 3-2 Game 5 win over the Yankees.

Leyland had said it would be "foolish" to risk Verlander's treasured right arm and his bullpen helped keep him from looking just as foolish by limiting the Yankees to one run in the final four innings and giving Verlander his shot to help complete the club's goal.

"This is just the first step," he said as the Tigers celebrated. "We have two more steps to go."

The Rangers had earlier completed their first step, thanks largely to Beltre's own bit of history against Tampa Bay. He led Texas to the 4-3 series-clinching Game 4 victory by becoming the sixth player overall to hit three homers in a postseason game.

"Amazing. ... He stepped up and put us on his back and hit three home runs against pretty good pitching," Rangers manager Ron Washington said. "And that's not easy to do. And he did it. And he's been big for us all year."

Wilson had been just as big all season, with a 16-7 record and 2.94 ERA. But he didn't look as impressive in allowing eight runs (six earned) in five innings of his Game 1 start against the Rays.

Both clubs are aiming for a World Series title following disappointments in the past several years. Texas reached its first Fall Classic last season, only to fall to the San Francisco Giants 4-1. Detroit used a similar upset over the Yankees in 2006 as a springboard to the World Series, before falling to the St. Louis Cardinals, also 4-1.

They will, of course, be focused on the present, not the past. There will be enough to contend with on both sides, from Beltre and Josh Hamilton's bats for the Rangers as well as a rotation that includes another 16-game winner in Derek Holland, to Miguel Cabrera's imposing presence at the plate and 14-game winner Rick Porcello, who is likely to follow Verlander in Game 2.

"We're right where we want to be," Verlander said before the Tigers headed to Texas.

A week after getting overshadowed by a historic final day, the Rangers and Tigers were ready to make some history of their own.

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