Capuano outpitches Verlander, Yankees top Tigers

Capuano outpitches Verlander, Yankees get HRs from McCann, Headley to beat Tigers 5-1

8/6/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
  • Tigers-Yankees-Baseball-23

    Detroit Tigers starting pitcher Justin Verlander delivers in a baseball game against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium in New York, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2014. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens)

    ASSOCIATED PRESS

    • NEW YORK — Chris Capuano outpitched Justin Verlander while Brian McCann and Chase Headley homered to send the New York Yankees past the Detroit Tigers 5-1 Wednesday night.

    The Yankees have taken two of the first three in the four-game series while facing the last three AL Cy Young Award winners. They edged Max Scherzer on Monday, then David Price got a no-decision Tuesday in a game the Tigers won in the 12th.

    Capuano gave up an unearned run and five hits in 6 2-3 innings, striking out eight and walking one. The Yankees got the 35-year-old lefty from Colorado last month after he began the season with Boston.

    Adam Warren (2-5) got four outs for the win. With runners at the corners in the eighth, he came back from a 3-0 count to strike out J.D. Martinez and retired Nick Castellanos on a fly.

    Verlander (10-10) allowed two runs and five hits in seven innings, walking one and fanning five. He has not given up fewer than two runs in any of his 24 starts this season.

    Headley homered in the fifth inning, then McCann hit a tiebreaking solo shot off Verlander in the seventh.

    Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira was cut on the left pinkie as he hustled home in the eighth, and was ruled safe after a replay reversal. He left the game, and got three stitches. X-rays were negative.

    “Hopefully, I won’t be out long,” the oft-injured Teixeira said.

    The Yankees scored three times in the eighth, and ended their franchise record of 16 consecutive games decided by two or fewer runs. The major league record is 18 by the 1968 Minnesota Twins.

    Derek Jeter singled for his 3,429th hit, and needs one more to hit to tie Honus Wagner for sixth place on the career list.

    TRAINER’S ROOM

    Yankees: Michael Pineda, who has missed exactly one-half of the season with a right shoulder muscle injury, will make his second rehab appearance Friday at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. Joe Girardi indicated Pineda’s return might be accelerated. “He’s probably available to go somewhere between 75 to 80 (pitches). Then we’ll see where we’re at,” Girardi said. “I said I wanted to get him to 90, but with the circumstances we’re in, you never know.” ... CC Sabathia, sporting a full beard and walking with the aid of a metal crutch, joined his teammates for the official team photo before the game. Considering the Yankees’ long-standing policy against beards, it is likely the “offending” growth with be photo shopped.

    Tigers: Right fielder Torii Hunter was listed as day-to-day after being hit on the left hand by a pitch from Dellin Betances in the ninth inning Tuesday night. X-rays taken after the game were negative. Hunter said he did have a ruptured blood vessel and had a difficult time sleeping, but was relieved nothing was broken. “I’d rather deal day-to-day than have a couple weeks off,” he said. ... SS Eugenio Suarez (left knee sprain) was not in the starting lineup, but was available according to manager Brad Ausmus.

    UP NEXT

    Tigers RHP Rick Porcello (13-5, 3.18 ERA) starts Thursday afternoon against rookie RHP Shane Greene (2-1, 3.68) in the finale of the four-game set.