The Tigers took a 3-2 lead over the Yankees into the top of the sixth. Leading off the top of the sixth, Derek Jeter knocked a Justin Verlander curveball into center field for a base hit. So maybe Verlander wasn't dominant dominant. But Jeter hit a good pitch, and Verlander was pretty dominant.
Yankees vs. Tigers: Justin Verlander Dominant, And Detroit Extends Lead
He followed by whiffing Curtis Granderson on five pitches. Robinson Cano then hit a can of corn to left, which brought Alex Rodriguez to the plate. After a pair of strikes, here were the following two pitches:
Just perfect, and the second one got the job done. Nothing A-Rod could’ve done, and so Verlander’s up to eight strikeouts.
To the bottom half we went, and the Tigers quickly struck again against a shaky CC Sabathia. Don Kelly led off with a bunt right by the mound, and he scored when Jhonny Peralta pulled a double off the left field wall two pitches later. After a sac bunt, Sabathia was removed, having thrown 106 pitches over 5⅓ innings. With six walks, three strikeouts, and four runs, he didn't have the outing anyone expected from him. He didn't even have the outing anyone would expect from A.J. Burnett. By the way, Burnett goes tomorrow!
The Tigers wouldn’t score again in the inning, but now they’re up 4-2, and the Yankees have only nine eight seven outs remaining. Verlander did some more dominant things in the seventh while I was writing this.
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