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Verlander, Inge dazzle as Tigers hammer Yankees

Aug 28, 2007 - 3:52 AM DETROIT (Ticker) -- The Detroit Tigers saved the best for last.

Justin Verlander tossed seven scoreless innings and Brandon Inge drove in four runs as the Tigers blasted the New York Yankees, 16-0, in the finale of Monday's four-game series.

Rookie Ryan Raburn had three RBI and Curtis Granderson and Placido Polanco each added two runs for Detroit (71-60), which remains 2 1/2 games behind first-place Cleveland (73-57) in the American League Central standings.

"Everything went our way," Raburn said. "We really needed this win. We got good swings from everyone in our line-up. This is a big confidence booster to take on the road."

The triumph also helped Detroit earn its first series win since sweeping the Minnesota Twins in a three-game set from July 17-19 - a span of 11 series.

The second overall pick in 2004, Verlander (14-3) yielded three hits with six strikeouts to finish August with an impressive 3-1 showing. The righthander continues to be a torn in the side of New York, which is just 7-3 against Verlander all-time.

"I was fun that we were able to put up so many runs early," Verlander said. "I just wanted to attack them. I was aggressive with my fastball and worked off it with my off-speed pitches.

"Chuck (Hernandez, Tigers pitching coach) and I made some minor changes to my mechanic with my leg drive and it helped."

Taking three of four games away from the Yankees doesn't seem to impressive Tigers manager Jim Leyland.

"I really don't believe in momentum," Leyland said. "Whoever pitches better, will win the game. That how it is in this business."

The Tigers' offense was clicking on all cylinders in this one.

In the second inning, Granderson delivered an RBI double and Polanco added a run-scoring single against Yankees starter Mike Mussina (8-10) to push to lead to 3-0.

Inge's RBI double highlighted a three-run third, and an inning later, Polanco recorded his eighth homer against reliever Edwar Ramirez to make it 7-0. "It was a big win for us," Inge said. "If you don't get confidence from taking three or four from the Yankees, you probably don't have a pulse."

With the bases load in the seventh, the 30-year-old Inge struck again with a three-run double in center that just missed being a grand slam. Detroit scored six runs in the frame.

It was another horrific outing for Mussina, who was tagged for six runs and nine hits in three frames in his third straight setback. He has surrendered 19 earned runs during this slide.

"It's not good," Mussina said. "Two weeks ago, I felt like I could do anything I wanted, and now I don't feel like I can help us at all. Those are probably the worst nine innings I've pitched in my entire career.

"I can't believe that in three starts I've forgotten how to pitch after 17 years."

The poor outing by Mussina could cost the righthander his spot in the rotation as Yankees manager Joe Torre said the veteran was in danger of losing his spot last week.

"I know (Mussina's) frustrated by all this," Torre said. "We'll talk (Tuesday), (Ron) Guidry, he and I and we'll see how he's feeling. Right now, he's still in line, but we have to see. I'm not prepared to answer those questions right now not after this game."