(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E |
| Detroit | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 0 |
| N.Y. Yankees « | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 9 | 0 | 0 | x | 11 | 11 | 0 |
SV: S. Mitre (1)
It was a close game over the first five and a half as both teams could only push across two runs apiece. Detroit started the scoring when Miguel Cabrera hit another homer, a two-run shot off Phil Hughes in the top of the 1st. Those two runs were the only runs Hughes allowed on the day as he settled down after that shaky first to throw six very strong innings.
Tigers starter, Rick Porcello, held the Yankees hitless over the first three, but they would eventually tie the game when they scored two in the bottom of the 4th. Mark Teixeira and Robinson Cano singled with one out putting runners on the corners. Nick Swisher followed with an RBI single, and then two batters later Curtis Granderson tied the game with another single.
Two innings later, the Yankees would send 14 men to the plate and break the game open with a nine-run explosion. Cano started the rally with an RBI double, and then ended it with two-run homer, his 24th homer of the season. In between, Jorge Posada drove in a run with a single, another came in on a wild pitch, Austin Kearns picked up a pair with a double, and Derek Jeter also knocked in two with a triple. Six of the Yankees 11 runs were charged to Porcello, with the other five scattered across three relievers.
With the Yankees up by nine and Hughes' innings limit starting to become a factor, there was no need to have him pitch the 7th, so after just 84 pitches Hughes' day was done and he was headed for his 15th win of the year.
Sergio Mitre took care of the final three innings. He did allow three meaningless garbage time runs, but he saved the rest of the pen so he did his job.
Like I mentioned at the start, Tampa lost 4-3 in Oakland and the Sox got spanked 7-2 by the Angels up in Fenway, so the Yanks gained on everyone. They've looked a lot better over the last three games--their first three-game winning streak since July 21-23--and hopefully it's something they build upon as they welcome the last-place Mariners to town for a three-game weekend series. A.J. Burnett faces Felix Hernandez in the opener tomorrow night. First pitch is set for 7:05 pm, and the game will be on YES.
... Oh before I forget, Eduardo Nunez made his MLB debut today, going 0-for-1 and started and turned a couple nice double plays. Those were also two very nice plays by the Yanks in the top of the 4th. Granderson's running play was great, but that catch Tex made was ridiculous, especially when you consider he bobbled and lost control of the ball twice.| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | LOB | AVG |
| Brett Gardner, LF | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .283 |
| Derek Jeter, SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .276 |
| Eduardo Nunez, SS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 |
| Mark Teixeira, 1B | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .256 |
| Robinson Cano, 2B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | .325 |
| Nick Swisher, RF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | .294 |
| Jorge Posada, C | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | .251 |
| Curtis Granderson, CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | .248 |
| Austin Kearns, DH | 4 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | .280 |
| Ramiro Pena, 3B | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .204 |
| Totals | 35 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 5 | 3 | | |
| Batting | ||||||||
| 2B - Robinson Cano (34, Porcello), Austin Kearns (21, Weinhardt) | ||||||||
| 3B - Derek Jeter (3, Weinhardt) | ||||||||
| HR - Robinson Cano (24, Bonine) | ||||||||
| RBI - Derek Jeter 2 (55), Robinson Cano 3 (78), Nick Swisher (70), Jorge Posada (41), Curtis Granderson (38), Austin Kearns 2 (47) | ||||||||
| 2-OUT RBI - Robinson Cano 2 (26), Curtis Granderson (15) | ||||||||
| SB - Brett Gardner (35, 2nd base off Weinhardt/Avila) | ||||||||
| RISP - 6-10 (Derek Jeter 1-1, Mark Teixeira 0-1, Curtis Granderson 1-1, Ramiro Pena 0-1, Jorge Posada 1-2, Austin Kearns 1-2, Nick Swisher 1-1, Robinson Cano 1-1) Team LOB - 5 | ||||||||
| Fielding | ||||||||
| DP - Nunez-Cano-Teixeira, Cano-Nunez-Teixeira | ||||||||
| Pitchers | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO | HR | ERA |
| Phil Hughes (W,15-5) | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 3.90 |
| Sergio Mitre (S,1) | 3 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3.86 |
| Pitches-Strikes - Phil Hughes 84-61, Sergio Mitre 57-32 | ||||||||
| Ground Balls-Fly Balls - Phil Hughes 3-9, Sergio Mitre 2-2 | ||||||||
| Batters Faced - Phil Hughes 22, Sergio Mitre 14 | ||||||||
| PLAYER OF THE GAME: Robinson Cano HONORABLE MENTION: Phil Hughes |
