(Reuters) - Detroit ace Justin Verlander was close to pitch-perfect as the Tigers advanced to the American League Championship Series with a 6-0 rout of the Oakland Athletics in their Game Five decider on Thursday.

The reigning Cy Young winner allowed just four hits while striking out 11 in a complete-game gem as Detroit used a four-run seventh inning to wrap up the best-of-five division series.

The Tigers, who won the opening two games at home before the A's rallied in front of their yellow towel-waving fans at the Coliseum, booked a spot in the penultimate stage of Major League Baseball's post-season for the second year in a row.

They will play either the New York Yankees or Baltimore Orioles in a best-of-seven series starting on Saturday.

(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by John O'Brien)