Rainout delays Detroit's bid to sweep Yankees

Detroit's attempt to sweep the New York Yankees out of the Major League Baseball playoffs and clinch a berth in the World Series was postponed by a severe rainstorm. The storm forced officials to delay game four of the best-of-seven American League Championship Series until Thursday afternoon, with the host Tigers leading the Yankees three games to none after a 2-1 triumph on Tuesday night. The series winner will face the National League champion, either the San Francisco Giants or the defending champions, the St. Louis Cardinals, in the World Series starting next week. Detroit ousted the Yankees in last year's playoffs and on their way to the 2006 World Series, where they were beaten by the Cardinals. If the Yankees win game four on Thursday, the teams will play game five in Detroit on Friday, meeting on what would have been an off-day because of the postponement Wednesday. Game six would be back in New York on Saturday.