Max Scherzer Escapes First-Inning Jam

After one full inning, it's still Tigers 2, Yankees 0 despite a real jam for Detroit in the bottom of the first.

Derek Jeter led off for the Yankees and sent a drive deep into center field, but Austin Jackson tracked it down. Next, Max Scherzer struck out Curtis Granderson on a change-up that cut the strike zone in half. But then Scherzer walked Robinson Cano on four pitches, and he walked Alex Rodriguez, too. And fell behind Mark Teixeira, 3-and-0.

But Scherzer did give up 29 home runs, and you couldn't blame him for being concerned with a) the Yankees' power, and b) Yankee Stadium's cozy dimensions. Jim Leyland went to some effort to set up his rotation so Doug Fister could pitch Game 2 in Yankee Stadium, and Scherzer Game 3 back in Detroit's spacious home. But the suspension of Game 1 changed Leyland's plans, shifting Fister to the conclusion of Game 1 and Scherzer to Game 2.

And Leyland couldn't really switch up and throw ground-ball pitcher Rick Porcello today, because Porcello threw six innings against the Indians just four days ago.