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Teixeira and A-Rod homer, Yankees rock Detroit

Apr 3, 2011 - 3:00 AM Bronx, NY (Sports Network) - Mark Teixeira slugged a three-run home run and Alex Rodriguez added a solo shot and had two RBI, as the New York Yankees rocked Detroit, 10-6, in the second of a three-game series from Yankee Stadium.

"We get through these stretches, and power hitters have to live on these great stretches because we'll go through ups and downs in the season," said Teixeira of the Yanks' early-season power surge. "You can't miss good pitches, because when you see them, you have to hit them."

Russell Martin also hit a three-run blast for the Yankees, who will look for the series sweep on Sunday afternoon.

A.J. Burnett (1-0) allowed five hits and three runs with six strikeouts over five innings for the win.

Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer and Austin Jackson contributed a solo round-tripper for the Tigers, who have dropped the first two games of their season for the third time in four years.

Brad Penny (0-1) lasted just 4 1/3 innings in his Tigers debut, during which he was charged with seven hits and eight runs while walking four.

Penny got off to a poor start, yielding three runs in the first inning. With runners on first and second and one out, Rodriguez stroked a double to right to plate New York's first run. Robinson Cano followed with an infield single to score another run, then Nick Swisher lofted a sacrifice fly to left which plated Rodriguez.

Brett Gardner singled to start the second, stole second, then Derek Jeter reached on a botched fielders choice grounder. That set the stage for Teixeira, who unloaded a three-run homer with one out to make it 6-0.

Jackson's solo homer in the third put the Tigers on the board, and it was 6-3 in the fifth after Alex Avila singled home Brandon Inge and a Will Rhymes groundout plated Jhonny Peralta, but Martin's three-run blast in the home half provided a 9-3 margin for the home club.

Rodriguez added a solo shot in the sixth to push the Bombers into double digits.

Martinez clubbed a two-run blast to right-center in the eighth, and an Eduardo Nunez error on a Ryan Raburn grounder with two on in the ninth closed Detroit's gap to 10-6.

Mariano Rivera came on with runners on the corners and retired Miguel Cabrera to earn his second save.

"Once again, we were scratching and clawing but we just didn't shut them down," said Tigers manager Jim Leyland. "We didn't keep the ball in the park either but I thought we were in the ballgame until the end, and it turns out we did have a shot."

Game Notes

The Yankees have won their first two games of the season for the first time since 2005 (April 3-5, 2005 vs. Boston)...New York hasn't swept a season- opening three-game set since March 31-April 2, 2003 in Toronto...Detroit last dropped three in a row to start a season in 2008 when it began 0-7...Jeter finished 2-for-4, bringing his career hit total to 2,928, tying him with Al Simmons for 35th on the all-time list...Rodriguez now has 1,833 career RBI, one shy of Dave Winfield for 15th on that ledger.