Brennan Boesch tallied two hits and three RBI to help lead Detroit to a 5-4 win over New York Monday night at Comerica Park. Eddie Bonine (3-0) earned the win after pitching 2.1 innings of scoreless relief. Sergio Mitre (0-1) suffered the loss in his first start of the season.
Playing in his first game against the Yankees, Boesch opened the scoring in the bottom of the first. After Mitre struck out the first two batters, the Tigers collected three straight singles, capped off by Boesch’s two-run single. Boesch later added an RBI triple in the bottom of the seventh.
Detroit increased to a 3-0 lead after former Yankee top prospect Austin Jackson’s RBI ground out. However, New York cut into the deficit with one swing of the bat in the top of the third. After Nick Swisher walked, Mark Teixeira smacked his sixth home run of the season over the left field wall. It was his fourth home run in the last three games.
Detroit padded their lead in the bottom of the fifth on former Yankee Johnny Damon’s second home run of the season. Damon has totaled 10 home runs and 56 RBI in his career against New York.
After New York loaded the bases on two singles and a walk in the top of the eighth, Marcus Thames delivered an RBI infield single. Brett Gardner followed with a fielder’s choice RBI to cut the Detroit lead to 5-4. But Tiger relievers Joel Zumaya and Phil Coke, another former Yankee, retired Randy Winn and Derek Jeter to end the inning. It was the second time in three innings that the Yankees failed to score with a runner at third and one out.
Mitre allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits in 4.1 innings. He struck out four and walked two. Brad Thomas started in place of Dontrelle Willis, who did not pitch due to a 102 degree fever. Thomas allowed two runs on three hits with three walks in three innings.
New York and Detroit will resume their four-game series on Tuesday. Javier Vasquez (1-3, 9.78) will start for the Yankees, while the Tigers will counter with Rick Porcello (2-3, 7.50). First pitch is set for 7:05 p.m. ET.
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