Slipping Away

Phil Hughes only allowed 4 hits over 6 innings, but 3 were home runs as the Detroit Tigers held off the Yankees 5-4. The Yankees jumped on starter Jair Jurrjens, who left in the 2nd with a shoulder injury, and Chad Durbin, but the Tigers bullpen, reinvigorated by the return of Joel Zumaya shut down the Bombers over the final 4 2-3 innings.

Todd Jones picked up his 33rd save with some big defensive help by Carlos Guillen. Guillen, who is usually manning shortstop for the Tigers, played 1st Base and show his defensive skills in the 9th. He went in the hole between 1st and 2nd to take a hit away from Hideki Matsui, and Jones helped him out, leaping to catch Guillen's high throw, and getting his foot on 1st Base in time. Jason Giambi gave the Yankees another chance with a single, but with pinch-runner Shelley Duncan aboard, Guillen turned Robinson Cano's grounder into a game ending 3-6-3 double play.

The Tigers got off to a fast start against Hughes, whose fastball was straight for much of the day. Curtis Granderson hit what appeared to be harmless fly to shallow, but the ball fell past the outstretched glove of Matsui, and bounced all the way to the wall. The speedy Granderson raced around the bases for an inside-the-park home run. Guillen, who hit a walk-off home run on Friday, went the traditional route, smacking a 2-run HR to right for a 3-0 Tigers lead.

Giambi got a run back in the 2nd with his 12th home run of the year. It was also the last batter of the day for the Tigers rookie starter, Jurrjens. Making just his 3rd start in the majors, Jurrjens felt soreness in his right shoulder and was removed.

Hughes (2-2) gave up the long ball again in the 3rd when Marcus Thames hit 15th of the year with a man aboard. Cano got the Yankees right back in it in the 4th when he hit a 431-foot, 3-run blast to dead center field, cutting the Tigers lead to 5-4.

Hughes settled down, retiring 11 of the final 12 hitters he faced, and Kyle Farnsworth and Luis Vizcaino threw a scoreless inning each. But the Yankees couldn't solve the trio of Bobby Seay (1-0), Zumaya, and Jones.

...

The Yankees are now 11-19 in 1-run and extra inning games.

Derek Jeter missed Sunday's game with wear and tear in his right knee and expects to play tonight. Joe Torre may feel otherwise.