Yankees Game 62: Tanaka, offense struggle as win streak ends

Detroit Tigers 6 - New York Yankees 1 After a win on Friday, Masahiro Tanaka and the Yankees had their sights set on six-straight Saturday evening. The first inning saw Ian Kinsler hit by a pitch and a walk to Victor Martinez for the Tigers.  For the Yankees, Brett Gardner singled to left, extending his hit streak to nine games.  The scoreless start to Saturday evening's game ended in the top of the second inning as Nick Castellanos hit a solo home-run, giving the Tigers an early one-run lead.  The Yankees failed to respond, falling one-two-three in the bottom half.

The top half of the third saw Tanaka put down the Tigers on three consecutive ground outs to Didi Gregorius at short.  With one out in the bottom half, Chase Headley tripled to left on his tenth pitch of his at-bat.  The crew chief called for a review to see if it was a home-run, but the ruling on the field was upheld.  Rob Refsnyder followed with a single up the middle, scoring Headley to tie the game.  Jacoby Ellsbury would walk, advancing Refsnyder.  Gardner hit into a fielder's choice leaving the Yankees with runners at first and third, but the inning would come to a close on a fly out to center field by Carlos Beltran. Tanaka had a quick scare following a single by J.D. Martinez in the fourth as Castellanos hit another deep fly ball to left.  Fortunately, Gardner was able to make the catch on the warning track, get the relay to Gregorius and double up Martinez at first in a beautiful play to end the top of the fourth.

Justin Upton led off the fifth inning with a single to left for Detroit.  Upton would steal second during the next at-bat.  Jose Iglesias singled to right field, but Beltran made a quick play on the ball, holding Upton at third.  Kinsler would extend the Tigers' lead to three with a three-run home-run on a pitch Tanaka left over the center of the plate.

In the bottom of the fifth, Headley hit one deep on the edge of the warning track, but it was caught by Upton.  Refsnyder lined a single to center, but that was all for New York.  The Yankees were unable to cut the Tigers' lead. Both teams went three-up, three-down to the opposing pitcher in the sixth. Tanaka came out to pitch the seventh, but after giving up a single to James McCann, manager Joe Girardi made the call to the bullpen, bringing in Kirby Yates.  In 6.1 innings, Tanaka allowed five runs on six hits with one walk, four strikeouts and hit one batter.  Yates would give up a single to Iglesias, advancing the runner.  Kinsler struck yet again with a double that drove in both McCann and Iglesias, extending the Detroit lead to five. Despite a double by Gregorius, the Yankees were again left scoreless. Nick Goody came on to pitch a scoreless eighth and Richard Bleier pitched a scoreless ninth for New York.  Each pitcher gave up a single. Brian McCann would walk in the ninth.  Starlin Castro would single and both players would advance on an errant throw by Iglesias.  Gregorius drew a walk to load the bases, bringing up Headley who would ground out to end the game.  Unfortunately it was too little, too late for the Yankees.  The offense couldn't get it started early or string hits in Saturday's loss.   Win - Verlander (6-5) Loss - Tanaka (3-2) Save - Rodriguez (18) Notables Detroit Tigers *Ian Kinsler - 2-for-4, R, 2B, Solo HR (12) in the 5th, 5 RBI (40), HBP *Jose Iglesias - 2-for-4, 2 R New York Yankees *Rob Refsnyder - 2-for-3, RBI *Didi Gregorius - 1-for-3, 2B, BB   Current Yankees Record: 31-31