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Hughes goes the distance as Yanks top Tigers

Jun 3, 2012 - 11:06 PM Detroit, MI (Sports Network) - Phil Hughes threw his first career complete game, scattering four hits and giving up just one run to guide the New York Yankees past the Detroit Tigers, 5-1, in the finale of a three-game set at Comerica Park.

Hughes (5-5) threw 82 of his 123 pitches for strikes while fanning eight and issuing three walks in arguably the best performance of his career.

"The big thing this year has been pitch count and not going very deep into games," Hughes said. "Especially coming off of a bad outing, to be able to put this one together is definitely a good feeling, and hopefully something to build off of."

Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez each hit solo homers while Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira both drove in a run for the Yankees, winners in three of their last four. Curtis Granderson scored twice.

Prince Fielder hit a solo home run and Jhonny Peralta had two hits for the Tigers, who have lost five of their last seven,

Justin Verlander (5-4) was pegged with the loss after giving up five runs -- three earned -- on nine hits over 6 1/3 innings. Verlander has lost three straight starts for the first time since dropping four in a row in 2008.

"I was not very good. I have to do a better job keeping guys off bases," Verlander said. "A few walks mixed in with some hits. I guess I was able to limit the damage somewhat, but I wasn't really able to execute."

The Yankees jumped out to an early 2-0 lead in the first. Jeter belted the first pitch of the game over the right field wall. Granderson followed with a walk, moved to second when Rodriguez drew a walk before taking third on a passed ball. Teixeira plated Granderson with a sacrifice fly.

"(Verlander) doesn't give up too many runs to begin with, so runs are few and far between when facing him," Jeter said. "We scored early there and I think he struggled with his control a little bit and he got his pitch count up."

Rodriguez made it 3-0 in the third when he launched a towering homer to left, his 10th of the year.

"It always helps (to score early), especially against Verlander, he's great," Hughes said. "We'll take any runs we can get. We were able to get a few there and tack on a couple extra the end, or towards the middle, was a luxury you don't often have, but it was nice when you can get it."

The Tigers cut it to 3-1 in the fourth when Fielder pulverized a hanging breaking ball deep into the seats in right field.

New York tacked on two in the fifth to go up 5-1. Granderson ripped a double down the right field line then scored on Cano's triple to right-center. Cano scored when Danny Worth's throw skipped past third baseman Miguel Cabrera at third and went out of play.

Game Notes

New York improved to 16-5 when scoring first this season...The Yankees are 11-7 in series finales this season...The game was briefly delayed in the ninth after a fan ran onto the field...Fielder extended his hitting streak to 11 games... Cabrera finished 0-for-3 marking just the third time in his career he hasn't recorded a hit in 36 games against the Yankees... Former Detroit stand-out Magglio Ordonez announced his retirement in a ceremony prior to the game's first pitch.