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Yanks shoot for season-opening sweep of Tigers

Apr 3, 2011 - 2:51 PM (Sports Network) - Two pitchers with high expectations take the hill this afternoon when Phil Hughes and New York Yankees try to complete a three-game sweep against Max Scherzer and the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium.

Last season Hughes finally started to live up to the potential that made him one of the game's top prospects, as he went 18-8 with a 4.19 ERA. However, after winning 11 games in the first half to earn his first All-Star nod, Hughes went just 7-6 after the break with a 4.90 ERA.

The right-hander has also seen his velocity drop this spring which has raised some eyebrows around the league.

Hughes, though, has dominated the Tigers over the course of his young career. In two starts against them last season he was 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA and is 4-2 with a 3.69 ERA in seven games (five starts) overall.

With the way the Yankees have hit through the first two games they may not need Hughes to be at his best on Sunday. The Yankees pounded Brad Penny on Saturday, as Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez and Russell Martin all homered to power New York to a 10-6 win.

"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, who also homered on Opening Day and has six RBI on the season. "You can't miss good pitches, because when you see them, you have to hit them."

The Yankees haven't gotten off to a 3-0 start since 2003 when they won their first four games.

A.J. Burnett (1-0) allowed five hits and three runs with six strikeouts over five innings for the win. Mariano Rivera picked up a save, marking the first time he has saved the Yankees' first two games of the season since 2000.

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.

Detroit is also just 1-8 in the new Yankee Stadium.

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.

Scherzer, meanwhile, showed flashes of being a solid No.2 starter last season, as he went 12-11 with a 3.50 ERA. The righty also struck out 184 batters and over his final 23 starts, his 2.46 ERA was the second lowest among AL starters.

However, he didn't instill a lot of confidence this spring, as he allowed 25 hits and 21 runs - including 12 in 2 1/3 innings of his last outing - in 17 1/3 Grapefruit League innings.

Scherzer beat the Yankees the only other time he faced them, holding them scoreless over six innings last August.

The Yankees split their eight matchups with the Tigers last season, but are 11-5 against them since the start of the 2009 campaign.