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Bonderman, Polanco's two homers help Tigers top Yankees

May 1, 2008 - 3:27 AM By Larry Fleisher PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Without two of their best bats, the New York Yankees were unable to overcome a few bad pitches by Andy Pettitte.

Former Yankee Marcus Thames hit a go-ahead, two-run homer in the top of the fifth inning and Placido Polanco homered twice as the Detroit Tigers posted a 6-2 victory over New York on Wednesday.

The Tigers won for the seventh time in nine games following a 6-13 start and concluded the month at 13-15 after playing with their regular lineup just twice.

"We have a very good team," Polanco said. "We just have to come out here and try to win every day. We started out slow, but we were able to turn it around, and now we're playing good baseball."

Detroit also won by getting an outstanding outing from Jeremy Bonderman (2-2), who allowed two runs and five hits in a season-high 7 2/3 innings.

"We still have a lot of capable hitters who can do a lot of damage," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "It looked like Bonderman settled in nicely. He had his sinker going. He struggled early with his control, but he really seemed to find it."

Bonderman made it through the seventh for the first time this season and also pitched into the eighth for the first time since July 7. The righthander also experienced no control problems, issuing just two walks and retiring 13 of the final 14 hitters he faced.

"Tonight, I was able to limit the walks, challenge guys and make them swing the bat early," said Bonderman, who had issued 13 walks in his last two starts.

"He got more aggressive, mixed in some changeups and started pitching inside better, especially to lefties," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said. "You do what you need to do. Getting the ball inside to their lefties was big."

Meanwhile, Pettitte (3-3) allowed just one hit over the first 4 1/3 frames before Detroit's lineup broke through.

Thames put Detroit on top with a home run to left that also plated Edgar Renteria for a 3-2 lead.

"I threw a sinker, almost like a cutter," Pettitte said. "That was supposed to a two-seamer down and away, trying to get a ground ball. It cut almost the width of the plate right into his bat - right where he wants it."

Polanco led off the sixth with his first home run of the season.

"I thought Polanco's ball was in the middle of the plate," Pettitte said. "He just made a great adjustment, and it was a ball that he had been beaten to third base and the shortstop and looked pretty bad on his first two-bats. He used his hands inside and keeps it fair, somehow, down the line for a home run."

Detroit had three more hits after Polanco's home run and went ahead, 5-2, when New York third baseman Alberto Gonzalez could not get to Carlos Guillen's soft infield single.

Polanco, who was 4-for-5 in the series opener, also opened the eighth with a solo shot off Kyle Farnsworth. It was his third career multi-homer game and first since June 4, 2005.

Pettitte, who often has pitched very well following Yankee defeats, allowed five runs and seven hits in six innings.

The lefthander, who fell to 72-36 after a loss by New York, surrendered two homers for the second straight start.

Gonzalez was making his fourth career start at third base in place of reigning American League MVP Alex Rodriguez, who landed on the disabled list for the first time since 2000 due to a right quadriceps strain.

The Yankees also played without Jorge Posada, whose shoulder injury has him on the DL for the first time in his career. Without those hitters, the Yankees struggled most of the night against Bonderman.

"I gave up two runs in the first," Bonderman said. "I started using the plate to my advantage, getting strikes and making them swing the bat. After that, I got in a groove, and I was on a roll for a little while."

New York did not place a runner in scoring position over the final eight innings.

The Yankees, who finished April at 14-15, took an early 2-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Jason Giambi and Melky Cabrera's RBI single.

The Yankees' injury woes continued when they announced in the seventh inning that righthander Phil Hughes was placed on the DL with a right oblique strain.