All of the players and managers who predicted that this ALCS would be a great matchup were exactly right.

A day after the Detroit Tigers edged the Red Sox to even the series at 2-2, Boston bounced back by taking Game 5 in Detroit to send the series back to Boston while putting the Tigers on the brink of elimination.

Boston's offense did most of its work in the early going, scoring 4 runs in the first three innings. But Detroit wasn't giving up so easily in the late innings; the Tigers scored one run in the fifth, sixth, and seventh innings to put the team within one.

The Red Sox were backed by Mike Napoli's home run and 3-for-4 performance at the plate. Napoli has continued to contribute to the team in big ways; his solo shot in Game 3 provided the only run the Red Sox needed to win a second consecutive game and go up 2-1 on the Tigers. Now, the Red Sox are just a win away from the World Series.

The Red Sox and Tigers will pick up where they left off -- this time back in Boston after a day off -- for the sixth and final game of the series. Detroit will need to win both games on the road in order to advance to the World Series against either the Dodgers or Cardinals.

In the National League, the Cardinals also hold a 3-2 lead in a series that is heading back to St. Louis. The Cards won the first two games of the series at home and then the Dodgers managed to take 2 of 3 at home in Los Angeles.

Game 6 of the NLCS will take place tonight at 8:30 p.m. ET.