New York Falls To Detroit In The Opener
New York had the lead until they didn't in the opener of the four game series against Detroit dropping their second straight game and their first to Detroit.
Giancarlo Stanton, Gleyber Torres and Luke Voit fueled the home power show through eight innings, but the long ball proved to be the Yankees' undoing in the final act. Victor Martinez and Niko Goodrum swatted back-to-back homers off Dellin Betances as the Tigers pulled out an 8-7 stunner on Thursday evening at Yankee Stadium. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
Chad Green, David Robertson and Zach Britton had combined for 3 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Yanks starter J.A. Happ, who stumbled for the first time in six starts for his new club. Betances issued a four-pitch walk before Martinez tied the game with his second blast of the night, just clearing the top of the fence in right field. Goodrum followed by hooking a shot inside the right-field foul pole that put the Tigers on top. "according tohttps://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
"You don't want to give up any lead in any situation, and obviously offensively we put up a bunch of runs," said Betances, who was tagged with his second blown save and fourth loss. "You don't want to give it up. It sucks, but it's baseball. You've got to try to do the best to correct the mistakes you made and be better the next time you're out there." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
The loss was especially tough to swallow for the Yankees, who had celebrated when Stanton reached the 300-homer milestone in the third inning against Francisco Liriano, then prepared for handshakes when Voit hit a go-ahead, two-run blast to Monument Park off Victor Alcantara in the seventh. Torres also hit a two-run homer, helping the Yankees grind back toward the driver's seat. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
As good as we play at home, I felt like in the first half of the game we didn't play very well," manager Aaron Boone said. "With the way our [bullpen] back end sets up, that's usually going to finish it off. We've got to play a cleaner brand of baseball so we're not in that situation on a night like tonight." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
Happ had won his first five starts since being acquired by the Yankees in late July, a streak snapped as the left-hander permitted five runs and 10 hits over 4 1/3 innings. Jeimer Candelario hit a leadoff blast, with two-run homers later being served up to Ronny Rodriguez and Martinez. All three were hit on fastballs. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
"I give them credit, really," Happ said. "I go back and I look at the execution of a lot of those pitches and I don't think there's a whole lot I'd change. The bottom line is, I didn't get the results that the team is looking for and I'm looking for. You try to flush this one and try to move on." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
Stanton ended his 10-game wait between homers, cracking a two-run blast for his 33rd of the season. It came in Stanton's 1,119th career game, making him the fifth-fastest player to reach 300 home runs in terms of games played. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
After Rodriguez briefly gave the Tigers a lead with his fourth-inning homer, Torres put the Yanks back on top with his 21st homer, a two-run shot to center field. Martinez's fifth-inning dinger was answered in the home half of the fifth by Miguel Andujar's infield hit, which allowed Aaron Hicks to score the tying run as the third baseman Candelario bounced his throw to first base. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
Voit's clutch blast was wasted by the first multi-homer game of Betances' career; prior to Thursday, he'd allowed just two runs in 33 2/3 innings dating to May 27. After saying that his teammates are "fully confident" that Betances would succeed next time out, Stanton said that the outcome of the game would diminish his pleasure about the milestone. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
"No. These type of things, I'll get to look back forever on," Stanton said. "Tonight, we weren't able to get the win. But we'll be in a good position to get it tomorrow." "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
SOUND SMART
The Yankees had their 31st game with at least three homers, closing in on the franchise record of 33 by the 2004 squad. They are 25-6 in those games. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
YOU GOTTA SEE THIS
Stanton busted a 2-for-27 slide when he launched homer No. 300, an opposite-field jack to right field. Only Ralph Kiner (1,087), Ryan Howard (1,093), Juan Gonzalez (1,096) and Alex Rodriguez (1,117) have reached 300 homers in fewer games than Stanton. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
With the loss, New York drops to 84-50 on the regular season and is 8.5 games back of their American League rival Boston who is leading the American League East. With the win, Detroit who is a member of the American League Central improves to 54-80 on the regular season and is 22.5 games of Cleveland who is leading the division. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760
UP NEXT
Right-hander Luis Severino (17-6, 3.27 ERA) will look to continue making positive strides toward his All-Star first-half form on Friday as the Yankees and Tigers continue their four-game weekend series at 7:05 p.m. ET. The Major League leader in wins, Severino is coming off 5 2/3 innings against the Orioles in which he allowed three runs (two earned). Right-hander Jordan Zimmermann (6-6, 4.38 ERA) gets the nod for Detroit. "according to https://www.mlb.com/yankees/news/yankees-club-3-homers-in-loss-to-tigers/c-292575760