Detroit Tigers 1 — New York Yankees 5
The Yankees face another Cy Young pitcher but they outduel with great pitching and create a sizable lead.
Tonight’s game had an inauspicious start for Yankees starter Chris Capuano. An error in the field by Derek Jeter would let lead off batter Rajai Davis to reach base. He would advance on a wild pitch and go to third on a ground out by Ian Kinsler. Miguel Cabrera would hit a sacrifice fly and the Tigers would take the lead on an unearned run without the benefit of a hit.
Through the first three innings against 2011 Cy Young award winner Justin Verlander, it looked like vintage Verlander. But, you play nine innings.
After three perfect innings by the Tigers starter, Jacoby Ellsbury got the first hit with a two-out single to center. Mark Teixeira would walk in the inning but the Yankees would not score. In the fifth inning, Chase Headley erased the one-run deficit with his second home run as a Yankee. The solo home run went into the second deck in right field
After the difficult first inning, Chris Capuano mixed in great off-speed pitches to keep the potent Tigers lineup off-balance.
The veteran lefty would get a swinging strikeout in all but one inning after the first inning. He would get a pair of strikeouts against Miguel Cabrera and Victor Martinez in the sixth inning. In the seventh inning, he would get the first two outs on a strikeouts but a pair of singles would end Capuano’s night. Adam Warren would get the last out of this inning in what would be a high pressure night for him.
Over 6.2 innings, Chris Capuano allowed one unearned run on five hits while walking one and striking out eight. A very good line against a strong lineup.
In the seventh inning, Brian McCann would put the Yankees ahead with a no-doubt solo home run into the Yankees bullpen. Justin Verlander has not fared too well against the Yankees and tonight was not an awful outing but he would be on the losing end. In seven innings, Justin Verlander allowed two runs on five hits while walking one and striking out five. The two home runs would be the runs he allowed.
Adam Warren’s high pressure situation came in the eighth inning. After getting Kinsler out, Miguel Cabrera would walk. On a hit-and-run play by Victor Martinez, second baseman Stephen Drew played deep for the shift and bobbled the ball and tried to compensate with a quick throw but it would go wide of Teixeira at first base, allowing Cabrera to go to third base. The two errors in one play put Warren in hot water. Warren would fall behind in the count against J.D. Martinez but made the complete comeback and struck him out for the second out of the inning. Warren would fall behind in the count again, this time against Nick Castellanos but came back again and got him to fly out to right field with the lead still intact. Outstanding job picking up Drew and his errors.
With Verlander out of the game, Blaine Hardy would come in and did not fare so well. Brett Gardner would open the inning with a single. With one out, Jacoby Ellsbury would walk and Mark Teixeira would hit a single with the two fastest Yankees on the bases so Gardner scored on the play. Carlos Beltran hit a shallow single to center field that forced the runners to advance just one base. With the bases loaded, Brian McCann hit a ground ball to a diving Miguel Cabrera who got the force at second base but an errant throw to an empty first base. Pitcher Hardy would recover and throw home to try and get Mark Teixeira but his hand would get in under the Bryan Holaday tag. The play would require a review to determine safe or out and Teixeira would be forced to exit the game.
Mark Teixeira’s hand caught the front of Bryan Holaday’s cleat and would end up needing stitches.
With a rare four-run lead, David Huff would come in and pitch a clean ninth inning for the Yankees win. The Yankees pitching staff would be overlooked as three elite pitchers entered Yankee Stadium but each of the Yankees starting pitchers went toe-to-toe with former Cy Young winners and came out with two out of three wins.
Win – Adam Warren (2-5)
Loss – Justin Verlander (10-10)
Notables
Tigers
*Andrew Romine – 2 for 4, 2B
*Miguel Cabrera – 2 BB, RBI (84)
Yankees
*Chase Headley – 2 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (9) in the 5th, RBI (38)
*Brian McCann – 1 for 4, R, Solo Home Run (13) in the 7th, 2 RBI (49)
Current Yankees Record: 59-54
