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Burnett aims to pitch Yankees past Tigers in Motown

May 5, 2011 - 2:40 PM (Sports Network) - A.J. Burnett goes after win No. 5 this afternoon when the New York Yankees wrap up a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Burnett closed April by beating Toronto on Saturday, but wasn't sharp in doing so, as he allowed four runs and nine hits in six innings. Still and all, the right-hander, who last year produced the worst statistical season ever by a Yankees starter, ended the first month 4-1 with a 3.93 earned run average.

"I'm not content right now. I know I can be better," Burnett said. "I will be better. It's just a matter of working in between [starts] and staying humble and not getting caught up in it."

Burnett's first win of the season came against the Tigers and he is 4-1 lifetime against them, despite a 7.07 ERA in seven starts.

The Yankees could use a strong start from Burnett today if they plan on salvaging a split in this series. After it snapped a seven-game losing streak on Tuesday, Detroit made it two in a row on Wednesday, as Max Scherzer continued his splendid start to the season with eight scoreless innings in a 4-0 win.

Scherzer (5-0) had a season-high nine strikeouts while allowing just four hits in the quality start for the Tigers, while Magglio Ordonez belted a two-run homer and Brennan Boesch and Alex Avila each had a pair of hits in the win. . "He was really good," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said of Scherzer. "He was really aggressive and used the strike zone. The main thing is he went after them."

Mark Teixeira had a double for the Yankees, who haven't lost three in a row all season and haven't lost a series since an early April set in Boston. Freddy Garcia (1-2) allowed 10 hits and four runs in seven innings while fanning eight.

"He seemed to be ahead of the count a lot," New York manager Joe Girardi said of the Tigers' hurler. "He threw his change up and slider when he was behind in the count and shut us down."

New York shortstop Derek Jeter, who is hitting a mere .250 on the season, left the game in the eighth inning with an apparent hip injury. Jeter, though, didn't seem too concerned after the game, but is questionable for today's finale.

Heading to the hill this afternoon for the Tigers will be righty Rick Porcello, who is 1-2 with a 4.25 ERA. Porcello did not get a decision on Saturday in Cleveland, as he allowed a pair of runs and seven hits in seven innings of his team's 3-2 loss.

Porcello, who has allowed just four runs in his last three starts, is 1-2 in three starts against the Yankees and has pitched to a 6.89 ERA in those contests.

The Yankees took two of three from the Tigers earlier this year in the Bronx.