Sep 2, 2008 - 1:01 AM
0 shoutsDETROIT (Ticker) -- Alex Rodriguez and the New York Yankees did just enough in the early innings to avoid a late collapse.
Rodriguez ignited a four-run first inning with a two-run single as the Yankees built an early nine-run lead Monday afternoon and held on for a 13-9 triumph over the Detroit Tigers.
It was just the third victory in the last seven contests for the fading Yankees (73-64), who remain seven games behind the Boston Red Sox (80-57) for the American League's wild card spot. The Red Sox beat Baltimore on Monday.
"The bottom line is we won," Rodriguez said. "We can't get caught up in how it happened. We lose that game, I don't know how we recover from that."
Rodriguez was booed lustily at Yankee Stadium last week, when he batted .208 (5-for-24) during New York's six-game homestand. The All-Star third baseman failed in numerous clutch situations during the homestand, as the Yankees went just 2-4 over that stretch.
But Rodriguez was outstanding during Monday's matinee at Comerica Park, finishing with three hits and four RBI. The reigning league MVP gave New York a 2-0 lead with his two-run hit up the middle off Detroit starter Justin Verlander (10-15).
Johnny Damon's solo homer highlighted a four-run second inning, and New York tacked on three more runs in the third to take an 11-2 lead. However, the Tigers erupted for six runs in the fourth inning and clawed within 11-9 on Magglio Ordonez's RBI single in the fifth.
Derek Jeter gave New York some breathing room in the sixth, lining a two-run hit to make it 13-9.
"It was real important," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said of Jeter's hit. "Those were two big two-out RBI."
Damon finished with three hits and three runs, Jeter had two singles and Bobby Abreu added three hits for the Yankees, who pounded out 17 hits. Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez had two hits in his return to Detroit, where he spent the past 4 1/2 seasons before being acquired for reliever Kyle Farnsworth on July 30.
"It was special, it was nice," Ivan Rodriguez said.
"I appreciate that very, very, very much from the fans. I got some goosebumps. I remember in Texas they did the same thing. It was great. It means that all the four years that I was here, I did a great job, I did a great job for the organization, for the fans. It was a very nice moment ."
New York starter Sidney Ponson lasted just three-plus innings, allowing seven runs - six earned - and nine hits. Righthander Brian Bruney (2-0) worked 1 2/3 scoreless relief frames to record the win.
"I didn't do what I was supposed to do today," Ponson said.
Verlander pitched just 1 2/3 innings in the shortest start of his career. The fourth-year righthander surrendered eight runs - five earned - and seven hits with two walks and two strikeouts.
"I didn't feel very good today - there's nothing wrong with my arm or anything," Verlander said. "I just didn't feel right. I was just out of sync, my control was erratic and I didn't make the pitches when I needed to."
"We had some long at-bats and he was throwing a lot of pitches," Jeter said.
Ordonez had three hits while Miguel Cabrera, Brandon Inge and former Yankee Gary Sheffield all homered for the Tigers, who have lost six of their last eight games.
From the Bleachers
-
NEW YORK: 13
DETROIT: 9
Final
Sep 1 4:52 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY DEREK JETER SCORED ROBINSON CANO AND IVAN
RODRIGUEZ.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, D JETER ON FIRST, J DAMON ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 13
DETROIT 9 TOP, 6TH
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: B ABREU (.302, 3-FOR-4, RBI)
Sep 1 3:41 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY MAGGLIO ORDONEZ SCORED CURTIS GRANDERSON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M ORDONEZ ON FIRST, P POLANCO ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11
DETROIT 9 BOTTOM, 5TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.289, 1-FOR-3, HR, 2 RBI)
Sep 1 3:23 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY MIGUEL CABRERA (30) TO RIGHT WITH 1 OUT
IN THE 4TH OFF EDWAR RAMIREZ SCORED PLACIDO POLANCO.
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11, DETROIT 8
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M JOYCE (.272, 0-FOR-2)
Sep 1 2:53 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY MAGGLIO ORDONEZ SCORED CURTIS GRANDERSON.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, P POLANCO ON FIRST, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11
DETROIT 6 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.287, 0-FOR-2)
Sep 1 2:52 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY ROBINSON CANO ALLOWED RAMON SANTIAGO TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, P POLANCO ON FIRST, C GRANDERSON ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11
DETROIT 5 BOTTOM, 4TH
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M ORDONEZ (.310, 1-FOR-2, RBI)
Sep 1 2:50 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY BRANDON INGE (11) TO LEFT WITH 0 OUT IN
THE 4TH OFF SIDNEY PONSON SCORED JEFF LARISH.
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11, DETROIT 4
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: R SANTIAGO (.322, 1-FOR-1)
Sep 1 2:43 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY XAVIER NADY SCORED DEREK JETER.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, A RODRIGUEZ ON FIRST, B ABREU ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 11
DETROIT 2 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: H MATSUI (.307, 2-FOR-2, 2 RBI)
Sep 1 2:26 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY ALEX RODRIGUEZ SCORED JOHNNY DAMON.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A RODRIGUEZ ON FIRST, B ABREU ON SECOND, D
JETER ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 10
DETROIT 2 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: J GIAMBI (.251, 0-FOR-1, SF, RBI)
Sep 1 2:23 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY BOBBY ABREU SCORED IVAN RODRIGUEZ.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, B ABREU ON FIRST, D JETER ON SECOND, J DAMON
ON THIRD, 0 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 9
DETROIT 2 TOP, 3RD
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: A RODRIGUEZ (.307, 1-FOR-2, 3 RBI)
Sep 1 2:21 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY GARY SHEFFIELD (14) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 2ND OFF SIDNEY PONSON.
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 8, DETROIT 2
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: J LARISH (.215, 2 HR, 13 RBI)
Sep 1 2:00 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY HIDEKI MATSUI SCORED ALEX RODRIGUEZ.
SITUATION: 4 RUNS IN, H MATSUI ON FIRST, X NADY ON THIRD, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 8
DETROIT 1 TOP, 2ND
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: R CANO (.268, 0-FOR-1)
Sep 1 1:54 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY XAVIER NADY SCORED BOBBY ABREU.
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, X NADY ON FIRST, A RODRIGUEZ ON SECOND, 2 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 7
DETROIT 1 TOP, 2ND
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: H MATSUI (.305, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
Sep 1 1:48 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
ERROR BY JEFF LARISH ALLOWED DEREK JETER TO SCORE.
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, A RODRIGUEZ ON FIRST, B ABREU ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 6
DETROIT 1 TOP, 2ND
DUE UP FOR NY YANKEES: J GIAMBI (.251, 0-FOR-0, SF, RBI)
Sep 1 1:44 PM -
AL
AT DETROIT - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY MAGGLIO ORDONEZ SCORED CURTIS GRANDERSON.
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, M ORDONEZ ON SECOND, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: NY YANKEES 4
DETROIT 1 BOTTOM, 1ST
DUE UP FOR DETROIT: M CABRERA (.288, 29 HR, 104 RBI)
Sep 1 1:29 PM -
AL
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 R H E
- - - - - - - - - - - -
NY YANKEES 4 4 3 0
DETROIT 0 0 0 (BOT 1)
CURRENT PITCHERS: NYY - SIDNEY PONSON
DET - JUSTIN VERLANDER
DUE UP FOR DETROIT:
Sep 1 1:22 PM
