Yankees 4 - 3 Tigers
Final
  for this game

Tigers, Yankees close out series

Aug 9, 2012 - 12:15 PM (Sports Network) - On the heels of their first home loss in three weeks, the Detroit Tigers will try to secure a series win over the New York Yankees on Thursday when the two teams wrap up a four-game set at Comerica Park.

Detroit saw its 10-game home winning streak come to an end on Wednesday, as former Tiger Curtis Granderson hit a homer and knocked in four runs in New York's 12-8 triumph.

Eric Chavez and Mark Teixeira added two RBI apiece for the American League East-leading Yankees, who had lost the first two games of this series. Robinson Cano, Ichiro Suzuki and Nick Swisher each drove in a run.

"It shows every run is big, no matter when you actually get it, no matter what the lead happens to be when you get them," Granderson said.

New York starter CC Sabathia (12-3), coming off a complete game three-hit performance in a 6-3 win over Seattle last Friday, gave up five runs -- three earned -- on eight hits over 6 2/3 innings.

Omar Infante hit a solo homer for the Tigers, who had a six-game winning streak snapped. It was also just their second loss in 18 home games.

Anibal Sanchez (1-2) allowed seven runs on seven hits over three-plus innings for Detroit, which remained a half-game behind the White Sox in the AL Central.

"We just didn't pitch very well tonight," Tigers manager Jim Leyland said.

The Yankees will try to score some runs today for Hiroki Kuroda, who has given up just three runs over his last two starts, but has no wins to show for it. Kuroda was terrific on Saturday against Seattle, allowing just a run and seven hits in 6 1/3 innings. Unfortunately for him, Felix Hernandez was better and the Yankees failed to score in the 1-0 loss.

"I believed that this offense is going to come through at the end," Kuroda said. "If you pitch as long as he was pitching, you'd assume he'd throw mistake pitches, and he didn't today. It's a little bit frustrating, but it is what it is."

Kuroda did not get a decision against the Tigers earlier in the year and is 0-1 in two starts against them with a 3.46 ERA.

Detroit, meanwhile, turns to righty Doug Fister, who has won five of his last six starts. Fister was brilliant against the Cleveland Indians on Saturday, as he gave up one run and went the distance to improve to 6-7, while lowering his ERA to 3.52.

"You can't get better than the way he has pitched his last few outings," catcher Alex Avila said after Fister's four-hitter. "There's no, 'Well, he's getting better each start.' That's as good as it gets right there."

Fister has faced the Yanks three times and is 1-2 with a 6.00 ERA.

Even with Wednesday's win, the Yankees have lost six of their last eight regular-season visits to Detroit.






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