Detroit Free Press from Detroit, Michigan • 14

4B WWW.FREEP.COM MONDAY, APRIL 4, 2011 MlIiaSEKBASEBALL fe UU ULm liuUvc? Instant replay AT YANKEE STADIUM, NEW YORK Tigers 10, Yankees 7 I WHAT HAPPENED: The Tigers had four multirun innings to salvage the finale of the season-opening series. The Yankees kept within striking distance most of the way but could never close the gap. With Magglio Ordonez out of the lineup, the Tigers' 2-3-4 hitters, Ramon Santiago, Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera, combined to go 9-for-14 with seven runs, nine RBIs, three home runs and one double. Although starter Max Scherzer pitched only five innings, the back of the Tigers' bullpen buckled down and got through the final two unscathed. Is 1 Jackson arid Raburn make key grabs to help beat the Yankees in 1 By JOHN LOWE MFff 5 I FREE PRESS SPORTS WRITER C.j a -''AT''' -AVi wet v.

CHRIST0PHER PASATIERIMcGatcfiy-Tribune Miguel Cabrera hits a two-run ball, Benoit had to face Mark Teixeira, who already had homered for the third straight game. On 0-2, Teixeira hit a sinking liner to center. Jackson sprinted in and snagged it off the grass, denying Rodriguez the chance to bat with the tying run on base. Jackson said this catch was tougher than the one on Granderson. "The ball blended in with the seats and the backdrop of the stadium," Jackson said.

All this glove work helped make Max Scherzer the winner. He allowed a career-high four home runs (one and perhaps two were cheapies to short right-field), and he became the first Tiger to win when allowing at least four homers since Jeremy Bonderman in Philadelphia in 2007. Scherzer did his clutch pitching when he appeared on the verge of getting knocked out. He had only a one-run lead when Russell Martin led off the fourth, bringing up the top of the order. One strikeout and one walk later, Teixeira who'd homered an inning earlier hit another high fly to right.

Don Kelly had room to catch it. Up came Rodriguez. Coke was warming up, and Robinson Cano was on deck. It seemed probable that if Rodriguez got on base, Coke would enter for a lefty-lefty matchup against Cano. Scherzer retired Rodriguez on a routine fly to right, and he lasted the five innings required for the win.

"It's really good that the whole team plays together," Benoit said. "We didn't have our heads down because we lost the first two games." With their heads up, Raburn and Jackson set out on outfield gallops and corralled a difficult first win. NEW YORK By hitting four more home runs against the Tigers, the Yankees seemingly had enough offense for a series sweep Sunday at Yankee Stadium. But there was a catch. Actually, there were three.

Leftfielder Ryan Raburn made one, centerfielder Austin Jackson made two. The first two grabs robbed the Yankees of a run. All three ended innings. If any hadn't been made, the Yankees might have scored one or more runs before the inning ended and the 10 runs the Tigers scored might not have been enough. Sunday's 10-7 victory showed when teams are evenly matched the Tigers and Yankees looked like equal heavyweights defense often is the difference.

The most underrated aspect of defense is outfield defense. With two outs in the first inning and a runner on first, Alex Rodriguez hit a drive to deep left. Raburn snared it on the track, crashed the wall and held on. The Tigers led, 9-7, in the seventh when Curtis Granderson bid to make it a one-run game. With a runner on second, he hit a drive over Jackson's head with two outs.

Jackson warded off the wind and sun and, on the run, reached up for the catch. "It was tough pretty much the whole series trying to get good reads on the ball with the wind doing a lot of crazy things," Jackson said. That catch concluded Phil Coke's two-inning relief job in which he allowed two hits and one earned run. Joaquin Benoit, in his first assignment as Tigers setup man, took over for the eighth. After shortstop Jhonny Peralta threw low to first on a potential inning-ending double-play i- ''f--rtTTJ KATHY WILLENSAssociated Press Leftfielder Ryan Raburn reaches for Alex Rodriguez's first-inning fly with two outs.

National League American League 'mum uu.iiiiajniwi.1 ill Reds sweep Brewers; Phillies 3-0 Left-hander Zach Britton, called up Sunday, allowed one run and three hits, fanned six and walked three in his major league debut. the Brewers, who are 0-3 for the first time since 2003. There were 14 home runs by players in the series. PHILADELPHIA 7, HOUSTON 3: Roy Oswalt pitched six innings in his first start against his former team, and Ryan Howard homered and drove in four runs to help the host Phillies complete a three-game sweep. Howard is 7-for-13 with six RBIs.

ST. LOUIS 2, SAN DIEGO 0: Jaime Garcia pitched a four-hitter with a career-best nine strikeouts as the host Cardinals dodged a three-game sweep in a game that lasted 2:03. Yadier Molina's RBI single in the fifth inning was the difference. NEW YORK 9, FLORIDA 2: Willie Harris and Ike Davis homered, and R.A. Dickey allowed an unearned run in six innings as the Mets won two of three against the host Marlins.

ATLANTA 11, WASHINGTON Tim Hudson pitched seven innings to improve his career mark to 11-2 against the Nationals franchise, and Brian McCann drove In four runs for the visiting Braves. PITTSBURGH 5, CHICAGO 4: Pedro Alvarez drove in two runs with an infield single off Carlos Marmol in the ninth, giving the visiting Pirates their second win in three games. Pittsburgh won four road series last season, two at Wrigley Field. LOS ANGELES 7, SAN FRANCISCO Former Tiger Marcus Thames tripled in the go-ahead run during a four-run seventh for the host Dodgers, who won three of four in the series. home run in the first inning.

He hit another in the third. I FOUR I TRADING FOURS: PLACES: Boesch be- Three play- came the ers involved first Tiger in the trade since the that sent late Tom Curtis Grand- Tresh to put erson to New up a 4-4-4-4 York were line. From involved in a Allen Park key play in High and the seventh Central inning. With Michigan a runner on University, second, two Tresh played outs and the one season Tigers lead- (1969) with ing by two, the Tigers Granderson after spend- hit a ball ing the rest hard off Coke of his career to deep with the centerfield, Yankees. but Austin Jackson I NOT SO snagged it FAST: The above his Tigers and neat) on tne Yankees run toward combined for the wall to seven multi- escape the run half- with innings, and the two-run neither ieacl intact, starting pitcher re- I ROUGH corded a DEBUT: 1-2-3 inning.

Making his Out of the first appear- bullpen, ance with Tigers left- the Yankees, hander Phil veteran Coke became Colon saw the first his debut pitcher to quickly ru- retire the ined by the side in order Tigers. Upon in the bot- relieving Phil torn of the Hughes in sixth, and the fifth Yankees inning, Colon right-hander immediately Bartolo Colon allowed a followed suit single by in the top of Santiago and the seventh. a two-run home run by I A HITTER'S Boesch be-PARK: Scher- striking zergotthe out three of win in his the next four first start, batters. He but it wasn't Pitched four easy. He innings and gave up a save up four career-high runs and six four home "its.

runs, although Rob- I THREE inson Cano's STARS: solo near the Boesch, 2. 314-foot sign Cabrera, 3. in rightfield Jorge Posa-would have da. been an out anywhere but Yankee -matt brown, Stadium. SPECIAL WRITER MhiiiM More photos from Sunday's first win cf the season FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES CINCINNATI -Ryan Ha-nigan hit two of Cincinnati's four home runs, finishing with four hits, and the Reds beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 12-3, on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep.

The Reds had 19 hits, matching their season high from last year. A dozen Reds had at least one hit, including winner Bronson Arroyo (1-0). Jonny Gomes and Brandon Phillips also homered. The Reds are 3-0 for the first time since 2005 when they swept the Mets. They've won 18 of their past 21 against J.

MERICGetty Images Orioles, Rangers 3-0; K.C. wins in 13 on Treanor I1R i it Indians first baseman Carlos Santa-na catches a bunt attempt by Chicago's Alexei Ramirez, starting the first triple play of the season. Ma visiting Twins avoided a three-game sweep, getting home runs by Danny Valencia and Denard Span. Nick Blackburn got the victory, and Joe Nathan got his first save since 2009. KANSAS CITY 12, LOS ANGELES 9 03 INNINGS): Former Tiger Matt Treanor hit a three-run home run to give the host Royals (3-1) their third straight win In their last at-bat.

Kansas City tied it with two in the ninth off ex-Tiger Fernando Rodney, who started the inning and walked the bases full. With one out, Wilson Betemit doubled for a 9-9 tie. Rodney has walked four of the first nine batters he has faced this season and missed the strike zone with 13 of his 20 pitches Sunday. Bobby Abreu was 5-for-5 for LA. OAKLAND 7, SEATTLE 1: Mark Ellis drove in three runs to back Gio Gonzalez as the host Athletics avoided a three-game sweep.

Gonzalez is 5-1 lifetime against the Mariners. CLEVELAND 7, CHICAGO 1 Orlando Cabrera hit a two-run homer for the Indians, who avoided a sweep. The crowd at Progressive Field was 8,726 smallest since it opened in 1994. TONY DEJAKAssodated Press FREE PRESS SERVICES ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.

-Zach Britton pitched six innings in his major league debut, J.J. Hardy hit a two-run double, and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-L on Sunday for a season-opening three-game sweep. The Orioles open at home today against the Tigers to kick off a three-game series. Britton allowed one run and three hits, fanned six and walked three. He was called up Sunday from Triple-A Norfolk.

Mark Reynolds hit a tie-breaking RBI double in a three-run seventh and another RBI double in the ninth. Wade Davis gave up four runs and eight hits over 6'A innings for the Rays. TEXAS 5, BOSTON ii Ian Kinslerand Nelson Cruz became the first set of teammates to homer in each of the first three games in a season, and Matt Harrison pitched the host Rangers to a three-game sweep. David Murphy and Mike Napoli also homered as Texas' first three hits and four of five were solo homers. The Red Sox are 0-3 for the first time since 1996.

MINNESOTA 4, TORONTO The Around the horn Longoria out up to 3 weeks; Jurrjens on DL FREE PRESS NEWS SERVICES ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Evan Longoria might be sidelined up to three weeks because of a strained oblique muscle in his left side. Felipe Lopez was called up from Triple-A Durham. Longoria, O-for-5 this season for the 0-3 Rays, left Saturday's game in the sixth inning.

He was placed on the 15-day disabled list Sunday. Sean Rodriguez started at third Sunday. Lopez, an in-fielder, has spent parts of 10 seasons with the Jays, Reds, Nats, Cardinals, Diamondbacks, Brewers and Red Sox Rodriguez went l-for-3 on Sunday. Lopez pinch-hit in the ninth and grounded out. ATLANTA: Former Tigers righthander Jair Jurrjens was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained oblique muscle in his right side.

Left-hander Mike Minor was called up from Triple-A Gwinnett. POSTPONED: The Rockies and Diamondbacks were postponed by rain and snow after playing in 84 degrees Saturday at Denver's Coors Field. TRIPLE PLAY: Carlos Santana, normally a catcher, had quite a debut at first base for Cleveland. He started the first triple play of the season against the White Sox. "I caught tt ball, and everybody yelled to thro it to first base," said Santana.

With runners at first and second put in motion by Chicago manager Ozzie Guillen in the fourth inning, Santana made a diving catch of a bunt by Alexei Ramirez. He caught the ball inches inside the foul line about halfway between home and first. Santana scrambled to his feet and threw to second baseman Orlando Cabrera at first to double off A.J. Pierzynski. Cabrera then threw to shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera at second to get Carlos Quentin.

It was the Indians' first triple play since Asdrubal Cabrera turned an unassisted one against Toronto on May 12, 2008. Chicago hadn't hit into a triple play since April 22, 1978, at Toronto. The Tribe has 31 triple plays, two shy of the Tigers' American League record. Health Acu Acupressure Open 7 Days 9am-9pm Walk-Ins Welcome 8077 Middlebelt Rd. 734-525-5108 I 3 qi.