By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, AUGUST 5- Although the Detroit tigers are comfortably ensconced in first place in the American League Central, they have only won 8 of 18 games after the All-Star break. During that same period, the Yankees are 11-6.
Max Scherzer, the Detroit starter, threw the 11th quality start (at least 6 innings with 3 or less runs scored) in the team’s last 15 games. Despite pitching this fine a game, the first American League pitcher to win 13 games this season could not record his 14th victory on Monday. The loss broke his five game winning streak.
The reigning Cy Young winner gave up four singles in the third inning which accounted for the only two Yankee runs of the contest. Ichiro Suzuki led off with a single. The next two batters, Brett Gardner and Derek Jeter, also singled to fill the bases. Jacoby Ellsbury drove in the first run of the game with a sacrifice fly to center. A one base hit by Brian McCann brought the second Yankee run in.
Scherzer left the contest after the seventh inning having yielded nine hits, the two runs and three walks. Yankee skipper Joe Girardi commented, “They’re [great pitchers] not always going to be perfect. I thought our guys just put good at bats, had a good approach and made him work.”
By fanning four in the game, Scherzer reached his 1,000 strikeout as a Tiger, tying Joe Coleman for 15th place in Tiger history.
Yankee starter Brandon McCarthy kept his perfect record in pinstripes intact, moving to 4-0 by earning the win. He has won his last six decisions in his last seven starts with an ERA of 2.09. His current streak is an amazing contrast with his performances during the early part of the season when he won only one of his first 16 starts. Of the change in teams, McCarthy remarked, “It’s been exciting {playing in a pennant race]. It’s like going to a new high school. It’s [the transition] been very smooth.”
McCarthy only gave up one unearned run in the fifth. Eugenio Suarez was safe on an error by third sacker Martin Prado. He stole second, but suffered a left knee strain that caused his removal from the contest. The pinch runner, Andrew Romine, scored on a single by Ian Kinsler.
McCarthy only yielded five hits and two walks while fanning eight in 5.2 innings. He said his only disappointment was “not getting into the seventh. I didn’t realize I threw so many pitches [116]”.
The Yankee bullpen held the Tigers scoreless for 3.1 innings. David Robertson recorded his 30th save. He has been successful in his most recent 18 save opportunities.
The one run victory increased to 15 the number of consecutive games in which the Yankees have played that have been decided by two runs or less. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, that is the longest number of such close games played in succession by the New York franchise.
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