DETROIT (AP) — Miguel Cabrera had three hits to move one shy of 3,000 in the Detroit Tigers' 5-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday night at chilly Comerica Park.
Cabrera beat out an infield hit in the second inning and singled up the middle in the fourth against Luis Severino, then grounded a single through the shortstop hole in the sixth off Chad Green (1-1).
The crowd, announced at 17,268, rose to its feet as soon as the Yankees made the third out of the eighth. With the fans falling eerily silent every time Clay Holmes went into his windup, Cabrera struck out on a 1-2 sinker.
Cabrera, now 39, is an 11-time All-Star. four-time batting champion, two-time MVP and Triple Crown winner.
Green (1-1) allowed Harold Castro's two-run double in the sixth that tied the score 3-3, but Josh Donaldson walked against Drew Hutchison (0-1) leading off the seventh, and pinch-runner Tim Locastro reached third when Gleyber Torres sarcificed and Hutchison threw the ball wildly past second for an error. Isiah Kiner-Falefa lined the next pitch to center for a 4-3 lead.
DJ LeMahieu hit into a run-scoring forceout in the eighth as Anthony Rizzo beat first baseman Spencer Torkelson's throw home, and Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth for his third save.
Rizzo hit fourth homer, doubled, drove in two runs and stole a base.
Severino allowed one run and seven hits in five innings, escaping a bases-loaded, one-out jam in the fourth when Castro lined out to shortstop and Tucker Barnhart struck out.
Tigers starter Edward Rodriguez gave up three runs and four hits in six innings.
Victor Reyes had an run-scoring single in the second inning, when Cabrera was thrown out going for third on the hit. Reyes was then caught stealing.
Aaron Judge hit an RBI double in the third and Rizzo followed with an RBI groundout. Rizzo's sixth-inning homer boosted the lead to 3-1.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Yankees: OF Joey Gallo was out of the lineup for the second time in three games. “I'm not playing well enough to be in the starting lineup every day,” said Gallo, who is hitting .121 with no homers and no RBIs. He entered the game as a defensive replacement but did not bat.
Tigers: RHP Matt Manning (shoulder discomfort) was placed on the 10-day injured list due to the Tigers needing reinforcements after using eight pitchers on Tuesday. RHP Ángel De Jesús was recalled from Triple-A Toledo for his first major league stint.
UP NEXT
The teams finish their three-game series on Thursday afternoon. LHP Jordan Montgomery (0-0, 3.24) starts for the Yankees and RHP Michael Pineda makes his Tigers debut against one of his former teams.
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