NEW YORK -- How's this for a guarantee?

After closing out the Detroit Tigers' win over the New York Yankees in Game 2 of the ALDS on Sunday, closer Jose Valverde believes the Tigers are a lock to win the series.

"I think the series will finish in our house," Valverde told ESPNdeportes.com's Enrique Rojas and other outlets. "They have a good team, but the series is not (coming) back to New York."

The Yankees and Tigers are tied at 1-1 in the best-of-five series. The teams split two games in the Bronx. Game 3 is scheduled for Monday in Detroit. It will be a duel of aces -- Detroit's Justin Verlander and New York's CC Sabathia.

"We have a big advantage," said Valverde, who was 49-for-49 in regular-season save chances. "We have Verlander ready for tomorrow. In the bullpen, we are ready."

Valverde made a similar guarantee in interviews given in English but said that he was joking. He did not say he was joking in the interview with Spanish-speaking outlets.

Valverde entered Game 2 in the ninth with Detroit up 5-1 and quickly made things interesting.

The closer allowed a solo homer to Nick Swisher to lead off the inning. Jorge Posada then followed with a triple to deep center. After a Valverde walk to Russell Martin, Andruw Jones drove in Posada with a sacrifice fly, cutting the Tigers' lead to two runs.

With a heavy rain falling, Valverde struck Yankees' captain Derek Jeter out on a 2-2 fastball. He then appeared to get a game-winning pop-out in foul territory off the bat of Curtis Granderson, but catcher Alex Avila slipped on the surface of the on-deck circle and failed to make the catch.