Coming into this series, the Detroit Tigers were 40-74 and 28-and-a-half games off the pace in the AL East. Now, they’ve taken two in a row against the first place Yankees – their latest win coming this afternoon by a score of 13-7.
Jimmy Key was knocked around, giving up nine runs on nine hits over four and one-third innings. Perhaps the Yankees didn’t take these first few games seriously against a lesser opponent. “Just because you have ‘NY’ on your hat doesn’t mean you can throw your hat on the field and win games,” Key said. “I think that’s been proven the last two days.” (Via NY Times)
Damion Easley got things going in the first for Detroit, connecting on a solo shot to leadoff the game. The Yankees responded in the third by putting up a five-spot. Mariano Duncan homered, Wade Boggs had an RBI single, Bernie Williams drove home a run on a sac fly and Tino Martinez drove in two of his own with a double. It seemed as if that was all Key needed, but he quickly fell apart.
The Tigers were able to tie the game at five in the top of the fourth, but a Derek Jeter sac fly put New York back on top in the bottom half. Detroit took the lead for good the very next inning, putting up six runs and knocking out Key in the process.
This is the second time Key has been hit hard in his last three outings. ”I just stunk,” Key said. ”The team scores that kind of runs early, and I let them back in the game. It was location. Today, I didn’t have it. As much momentum as we had, I gave it right back to them. If ever there was a loss that was deserved, I deserved it.” (Via NY Times)
Bob Wickman came on in relief, and gave up three runs of his own before Dale Polley finished out the game and allowed a run. The Yankees have now snapped a streak of 24 home series victories dating back to August of ’95.
”We’re supposed to win,” Torre said. ”But that doesn’t mean you’re going to win. You’d like to be able to just call it in.”
Box score and current stats
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
Tigers 1 0 0 4 6 0 1 1 0 13 13 1
Yankees 0 0 5 1 1 0 0 0 0 7 12 0
Batting AB R H RBI BB SO BA OBP SLG
Jeter SS 4 1 2 1 0 1 .306 .366 .415
Boggs 3B 4 1 2 1 1 0 .317 .394 .404
B.Williams CF 4 1 0 1 0 0 .299 .380 .520
Fielder DH 3 1 1 0 2 1 .251 .358 .485
Martinez 1B 4 0 2 2 0 1 .299 .361 .462
Strawberry LF 3 0 1 1 0 1 .253 .363 .547
Duncan 2B 4 2 2 1 0 0 .333 .347 .482
Leyritz C 3 1 2 0 1 1 .251 .344 .357
G.Williams RF 4 0 0 0 0 0 .278 .327 .445
2B:Martinez (23)
HR:Duncan (5)
RBI:Martinez 2 (83);Jeter (49);Strawberry (22);
Duncan (40);Boggs (31);B.Williams (74).
Pitching IP H R ER BB SO ERA
Key L (9-9) 4.1 9 9 9 2 2 5.17
Wickman 2.2 3 3 3 3 4 4.60
Polley 2 1 1 1 1 1 7.30
