Associated Press Associated Press ADVERTISING DETROIT — Curtis Granderson snapped out of a short slump and insisted it had nothing to do with hitting sixth for the first time in nearly three months. Granderson hit his 30th homer and drove
Associated Press
DETROIT — Curtis Granderson snapped out of a short slump and insisted it had nothing to do with hitting sixth for the first time in nearly three months.
Granderson hit his 30th homer and drove in four runs to help the New York Yankees beat Detroit 12-8 Wednesday night and end the Tigers’ winning streak at six.
He was pushed down after leading off and hitting second for much of the year because he had two straight 0-for-5 games, including a popup with runners on second and third to end a 6-5 loss to his former team Tuesday night.
Granderson had just four hits in his previous 25 at-bats and almost had that many in one night with an RBI single in the first, a homer in the third and a double in the seventh while matching his season high for RBIs.
“It’s just very coincidental,” he said. “I’ve been with this team for three seasons and I think I’ve batted every spot but cleanup. It really doesn’t matter where I hit. I just want to win.”
CC Sabathia does, too, but he’d rather have a chance to have more than the 94 pitches manager Joe Girardi let him throw against the Tigers.
“You’re always upset when you’re not able to finish your inning,” Sabathia said. “But that’s why Joe is the manager and I go out and throw the ball. It worked out.”
It looked like it might not.
Down 7-0, the Tigers chased Sabathia and closed to 8-7 in the seventh inning only to hurt their comeback chances by giving up two runs in each of the last two innings.
“We just didn’t pitch and all the add-on runs, obviously, killed us,” Detroit manager Jim Leyland said.
Sabathia (12-3) gave up five runs — three earned — and eight hits while striking out seven over 6 2-3 innings for the AL East-leading Yankees, who had lost 12 of their previous 18 games.
Detroit had won 10 in a row at home, matching its best streak in 13 seasons at Comerica Park.
In his third start since being traded from Miami to Detroit, Anibal Sanchez (1-2) gave up seven runs, seven hits, walked two and hit two batters over three-plus innings.
“Everything didn’t work,” he said.
Omar Infante, who was also acquired with Sanchez from the Marlins, hit a solo homer in the eighth off David Robertson that pulled the Tigers within 10-8.
Eric Chavez and Granderson, batting sixth for the first time since May 15, hit RBI singles in the first for a 2-0 lead. Sanchez hit Robinson Cano and walked Chavez in the third before Granderson homered.
Girardi said before the game that he was sliding Granderson down in the lineup because he was struggling, but downplayed the move after the win.
“Sometimes you can make too much out of it,” Girardi said. “You just keep running him out there and he’s going to be productive.”
Nick Swisher’s RBI single chased Sanchez in the fourth and Mark Teixeira’s sacrifice fly gave the Yankees a seven-run lead.
Jeff Baker, playing for the first time since the Tigers acquired him Sunday from the Chicago Cubs, hit a two-out double in the fourth and scored on Brennan Boesch’s single. Baker’s two-run single in the sixth pulled Detroit within four runs.
“A pretty good debut with a new team,” Leyland said. “Looks like he knows what the bat is for.”
RANGERS 10, RED SOX 9
BOSTON — Adrian Beltre had a tiebreaking sacrifice fly in the ninth inning after Texas blew a late four-run lead.
ATHLETICS 9, ANGELS 8
OAKLAND, Calif. — Chris Carter hit a two-run homer to cap a five-run sixth inning and Oakland overcame a shaky outing by rookie Dan Straily.
INDIANS 6, TWINS 2
CLEVELAND — Justin Masterson pitched seven strong innings and Shin-Soo Choo went 4-for-4 as Cleveland ended an 11-game losing streak.
ORIOLES 9, MARINERS 2
BALTIMORE — Steve Johnson struck out nine over six innings in his first major league start and Matt Wieters tied a career high with five RBIs as Baltimore swept the three-game series.
RAYS 3, BLUE JAYS 2
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Alex Cobb pitched seven solid innings for Tampa Bay, which clinched its 16th consecutive home series win over Toronto.
ROYALS 2, WHITE SOX 1
CHICAGO — Jeremy Guthrie picked up his first victory since late May, scattering five hits over eight innings.
Brewers stop Reds
MILWAUKEE — Ryan Braun snapped an 0-for-18 slump with an RBI double in the eighth inning, lifting Milwaukee to a three-game sweep of Cincinnati with a 3-2 win.
GIANTS 15, CARDINALS 0
ST. LOUIS — Marco Scutaro hit a grand slam and drove in a career-high seven runs, leading Ryan Vogelsong and the Giants.
DODGERS 6, ROCKIES 4
LOS ANGELES — Chad Billingsley shrugged off an inside-the-park home run by Eric Young Jr. on his fourth pitch of the game to win his fourth straight start, Matt Kemp hit a three-run homer and the Dodgers avoided a three-game sweep by baseball’s worst pitching staff.
PADRES 2, CUBS 0
SAN DIEGO — Clayton Richard threw a five-hitter and San Diego swept Chicago.
PIRATES 7, D-DBACKS 6
PITTSBURGH — Neil Walker homered and drove in five runs, Kevin Correia won his seventh straight decision.
BRAVES 12, PHILLIES 6
PHILADELPHIA — Dan Uggla hit a tiebreaking three-run double in the seventh after Tim Hudson blew a five-run lead.
MARLINS 13, METS 0
NEW YORK — Giancarlo Stanton hit two two-run homers, Jose Reyes also connected against his former team and the Miami Marlins handed the Mets their ninth straight loss at home.
NATIONALS 4, ASTROS 3
HOUSTON — Gio Gonzalez pitched a nine-inning complete game and hit a home run — both career firsts — to lead the Washington.
