A-Rod receives standing ovation at Yankee Stadium

NEW YORK – The fans at Yankee Stadium seem to be willing to forgive and forget past struggles – at least through his first at-bat.

Alex Rodriguez, who returned to the starting lineup, received a standing ovation as he approached the plate for his first at-bat in tonight's Game 1 of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers.

As luck would have it, the bases loaded with two outs in the bottom of the first inning.

After Tigers starter Doug Fister issued three walks, A-Rod hit a scorching ground ball that shortstop Jhonny Peralta dived to grab and fire to second in time for the inning-ending forceout. The call by second base umpire Sam Holbrook could have gone either way – but Raul Ibanez was called out to end the threat.

The warm reception began during the pregame introductions, when A-Rod was introduced in the starting lineup.

Rodriguez, who was showered with boos as he hit just .125 in the Division Series, is back in the starting lineup after a one-game benching and hitting sixth against Fister.

Although A-Rod has been the lightning rod for the Yankees' offensive woes in the Division Series, he isn't the only Bronx Bomber not living up to the franchise's nickname. Second baseman Robinson Cano is hitting .091, right fielder Nick Swisher is at .111 and center fielder Curtis Granderson is at .158.

As a team, the Yankees hit just .211 in their five-game ALDS victory against the Baltimore Orioles.

The A-Rod saga continued in the sixth inning, trailing 2-0. A-Rod came to the plate with a golden opportunity to get his team back in the game. After an error and a double put runners at second and third and no one, Rodriguez struck out on three pitches.

He took a called strike one, fouled off the second and swung over a 76 mph curve ball in the dirt from Fister for strike three as the boos followed him back to the dugout. Rodriguez is now hitting .105 (2-for-19) in the postseason.