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Tanaka takes mound in finale with Tigers

Apr 23, 2015 - 11:52 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - Masahiro Tanaka shoots for a third straight win when he leads the New York Yankees into the finale of a four-game series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Tanaka was roughed up in his season debut on April 6 versus Toronto and yielded five runs -- four earned -- in four innings of a 6-1 loss. Tanaka rebounded six days later in a 14-4 drubbing of Boston and lasted five innings, allowing four runs (3 earned) and four hits.

The Japanese right-hander shined in Saturday's 9-0 beatdown of Tampa Bay and delivered seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball. He struck out a season-high eight batters and did not issue a walk. He walked five batters and fanned 10 in his first two outings.

Tanaka will make his first appearance against the Tigers and hopes to get as much run support as Adam Warren did in Wednesday's 13-4 rout of Detroit.

New York scored six runs in the first inning, which was highlighted by Gregorio Petit's bases-clearing double. Brian McCann, Chase Headley and Jacoby Ellsbury each had RBI singles to set the tone early, but the Tigers responded with four runs in the bottom half.

The Tigers were held off the board the rest of the way and starting pitcher David Price lasted only 2 1/3 innings, charged with eight runs and 10 hits.

"As well as he's pitched against us, yeah, it is kind of strange," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "The last time we faced him, we didn't really hit him too hard. We had a bunch of ground balls that went through the hole, and we had some things really go our way. We were swinging the bats good tonight."

Warren benefited from the deluge of runs and hits, and was touched for four runs in 5 2/3 innings. New York had a 15-6 advantage in hits.

Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, while Headley and Didi Gregorius drove in two runs apiece. Young ended 3-for-6 with a pair of runs scored for the Yankees, winners in two straight, five of six and seven of the last 10 games.

The Yankees are 6-3 on a 10-game road trip and will play the next six games at home versus the New York Mets and Rays.

Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez has hit 658 career home runs, two shy of tying Willie Mays' mark of 660 for fourth place on the all-time list.

Detroit fell to 11-4 on the season and 3-3 on a 10-game stay in Motown.

Yoenis Cespedes had two hits and an RBI in Wednesday's loss, which featured some snow showers in late April. Price may have been effected by the wintry conditions, according to his manager.

"I don't think he could feel the ball," skipper Brad Ausmus said.

Price wasn't pleased with his performance.

"Just didn't have it," Price said. "That's a bad start. It's not my worst, but it's always tough whenever you put your team down six runs in the first inning before they even get a chance to swing it."

The Tigers look to put last night's game in the rearview mirror and will host the Cleveland Indians for three games this weekend.

Anibal Sanchez was impressive in his season debut for the Tigers, but has struggled since. He will try to redeem himself Thursday versus the Yankees and has lost back-to-back starts.

Sanchez pitched 6 2/3 shutout innings and scattered just three hits on April 8 in an 11-0 drubbing of Minnesota. The right-hander then struggled on April 13 in a 5-4 loss at Pittsburgh, touched for five runs and eight hits with nine strikeouts and no walks.

Things got worse for Sanchez in Saturday's 12-3 defeat versus the Chicago White Sox and he allowed nine runs and nine hits in 3 1/3 frames. In three career starts against the Yankees, Sanchez is 2-1 with a 5.17 ERA.

The Yankees were 4-3 against the Tigers last season.