Relief pitcher Tyler Clark, who competed for the Erie SeaWolves during their 2012 season, saved the Mesa Solar Sox’s 4-3 victory over Phoenix as part of Thursday’s Arizona Fall League action.

Clark came in for Mesa with two outs and runners at first and third in the top of the ninth inning. The right-hander came through by retiring the Desert Dogs’ Joc Pederson on a line out to left field.

Former SeaWolves catcher Brian McCann was 0-for-3 for Mesa, now 8-16 overall in the league’s East Division.

– Mike Copper

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Now, whenever Bruce and Daniel Fields conduct one of their frequent baseball calls, it will be as members of the same organization.

Bruce Fields, who briefly played for the Detroit Tigers in 1986, has been hired by the 2012 American League champions to be their roving minor league hitting instructor for next season. That means he’s likely to show up at Jerry Uht Park to assist the Erie SeaWolves.

One of those SeaWolves could be Daniel Fields, his son. The outfielder played 29 games for them in 2012.

Bruce Fields, 52, was the hitting coach for the Cleveland Indians this past summer. He was let go when the Tribe hired Terry Francona to be their manager.

– Mike Copper

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The Detroit Tigers eliminated the Oakland Athletics en route to the American League pennant.

Thanks to the San Francisco Giants clinching the National League pennant Monday night, they’re headed back to the Bay area to open the 2012 World Series.

The Giants blanked the St. Louis Cardinals 9-0 in the seventh and deciding game of the National League Champioship Series at AT&T Park. That’s where the first two games of the Series will take place, with the opener set for Wednesday night.

The Series shifts to Comerica Park for at least games three and four later this week.

Detroit, with a roster that includes former Erie SeaWolves like Justin Verlander and Omar Infante, seeks its first championship since 1984. San Francisco bids for its second in three seasons.

– Mike Copper

Andy Dirks, Avisail Garcia and Omar Infante are former Erie SeaWolves who helped the Detroit Tigers sweep the New York Yankees and advance to the 2012 World Series.

The Tigers clinched the American League pennant with Thursday’s 8-1 victory at Comerica Park. Their best-of-seven sweep of the Yankees means they’ll face the San Francisco Giants or the St. Louis Cardinals in game one of next Wednesday’s Fall Classic.

Dirks recorded three of Detroit’s 18 hits in Thursday’s fourth game of the American League Championship Series. Garcia and Infante each totaled two hits, with Garcia driving in one run and Infante scoring two others.

– Mike Copper

The Detroit Tigers took a commanding 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series after holding on for Tuesday night’s 2-1 victory over the New York Yankees at Comerica Park.

Detroit ace Justin Verlander gave up a solo home run to New York’s Eduardo Nunez in the top of the ninth inning. However, relief pitcher Phil Coke came in to record a save and preserve the victory for the former Erie SeaWolves’ starter.

Other former Erie players who helped the Tigers move within one victory of the World Series were Avisail Garcia, Alex Avila and Omar Infante, who each singled.

Detroit can sweep the ALCS with a Wednesday night win at Comerica.

– Mike Copper

Former Erie SeaWolves pitcher Drew Smyly was the winner in relief for the Detroit Tigers, who squandered a four-run, ninth-inning lead before recovering for a 6-4 extra-inning win over the New York Yankees in game one of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium.

Other former SeaWolves who contributed to Detroit’s emotional victory were outfielders Andy Dirks and Avisail Garcia (single, RBI each) and pinch-runner Don Kelly, who scored one of the Tigers’ two decisive runs in the top of the 12th inning.

Yankees outfielder Curtis Granderson, another former Erie player, went hitless with a walk for New York.

– Mike Copper

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Former Erie SeaWolves pitcher Justin Verlander recorded a complete-game, four-hit shutout for the Detroit Tigers, who beat the Oakland Athletics 6-0 in Thursday night’s fifth and final game of the teams’ American League Divisional Series at O.co Coliseum.

Verlander, who struck out 11 and walked one, led the Tigers into the American League Championship Series for the second straight season. They’ll play the winner of Friday’s best-of-five ALDS finale between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

Other former SeaWolves who contributed to Detroit’s clinching win were second baseman Omar Infante, who reached base three times and scored twice, and outfielder Andy Dirks, who singled.

– Mike Copper

The Arizona Fall League begins Tuesday, with four players from the 2012 Erie SeaWolves scheduled to compete for the Mesa Solar Sox.

Mesa, one of six teams in the league, will debut with a game at the Salt River Rafters. Mesa’s roster consists of minor league prospects from the Detroit Tigers, Baltimore Orioles, Chicago Cubs, Houston Astros and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Outfielder Nick Castellanos, catcher James McCann and relief pitchers Tyler Clark and Michael Morrison are players for the Solar Sox who appeared in all or portions of Erie’s recently completed Eastern League season. Other former SeaWolves on Mesa’s roster are pitchers Luke Putkonen and Matt Hoffman.

Aaron Westlake, a first base prospect with Single-A West Michigan, rounds out Detroit’s representatives.

– Mike Copper

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The Erie SeaWolves are seeking 2013 internship candidates for its junior associate program.

The junior associate positions are unpaid, but are available in various aspects of the franchise’s operations. College students with majors are encouraged to apply.

For more information or to apply, log on to http://mandalay.teamworkonline.com/teamwork/r.cfm?i=48776.

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Erie fans who originally purchase or renew their season-ticket packages for next season are eligible to win prizes throughout the rest of this month.

The earlier the purchase, the more chances fans have to win one prize. For information or to register, log on to http://erie.seawolves.milb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20120925&content_id=38993256&vkey=news_t106&fext=.jsp&sid=t106&EDID=9OJCSI-KS8EP3-72MXPLM-ZYRM29-B4CKU1-v1

– Mike Copper

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Former SeaWolves utility player Don Kelly drove in the winning run for the Detroit Tigers in Sunday afternoon’s American League Division Series game against Oakland at Comerica Park.

Kelly, who played for Erie between 2003-06, lofted a sacrifice fly to right-center field off Athletics reliever Grant Balfour in the bottom of the ninth. Omar Infante, another former SeaWolves infielder, scored the decisive run that gave the Tigers a 5-4 victory and a 2-0 lead in the teams’ best-of-five series.

Detroit can go for a sweep when the third game takes place Tuesday night at Oakland. The Athletics will host the remainder of the series.

– Mike Copper