Even if the National League Championship Series Game Three is yet to be played, Thursday's game (Australia time) between the Boston Red Sox and Detroit Tigers will determine the direction the series goes.

While the series is tied at one game apiece, the fact that the Tigers stole one game at Fenway Park means that they have succeeded in getting the hometown advantage. Games Three to Five are all at Comerica Park where they have enjoyed a distinct advantage, winning 51-30 for the season. Their away record is not too shabby, either; a 42-39 card for games played on the road meant that winning at least one game in Boston was a very distinct possibility.

However, the Red Sox are not too shabby on the road themselves. They have won 44 away games to their 37 losses, and it might mean that either a Game Three or Game Four win will send the series back to Boston, where they have won 53 games to 28 losses. Their 53-28 record is the second best in Major League Baseball, and many consider their Game One loss a mere aberration. After all, Game One was decided only by a Jhonny Peralta RBI single.

The Tigers have named Doug Fister as their starting pitcher for Game Four, and Boston will field in Jake Peavy. Fister, the AL Pitcher of the Month for September 2011, has an ERA of 3.53 and has a win-loss record of 44-50. Peavy, the four-time All-Star, has a win-loss record of 132-98, striking out 1,869 batters while maintaining an ERA of 3.51. While it may seem that the pitching matchup is tilted in favor of the Red Sox, Detroit has the heavier hitters, with Miguel Cabrera and Alex Avila hitting two home runs in Game 2.

The series enters Game Four on Thursday, also at Comerica Park. The game will be an indication of the Red Sox's capacity to bounce back against a great Tigers team that has shown a tendency to score when it matters most.

Watch the game LIVE here (10/13/2013 10:07 am AEDT): LINK 1 LINK 2 LINK 3