DETROIT – Mark Teixeira and Eric Chavez hit solo home runs on consecutive pitches in the eighth inning that put New York ahead, and the Yankees held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 4-3 Thursday.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected and threw his hat during a demonstrative argument with third base umpire Tim Welke after a fair-or-foul call in the fifth inning.
Rafael Soriano escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the ninth for his 27th save in 29 chances.
Alex Avila led off the ninth with a double and pinch-runner Gerald Laird advanced to third on Omar Infante's single. Soriano got Ramon Santiago on a soft lineout, retired Quintin Berry on a popup and got Andy Dirks on a flyball.
Clay Rapada (3-0) got the last two outs with one on in the seventh inning.
Joaquin Benoit (1-3) retired the first batter in the New York eighth before Teixeira and Chavez connected, the eighth time the Yankees have hit consecutive homers this season.
Teixeira hit a no-doubt line drive to right for his 21st homer. Chavez went to opposite field, clearing the left-field wall with his ninth homer in 35 games after hitting just three in his first 42 games this year.
Benoit has given up nine hits — seven for homers — in 10 games since the All-Star break.
New York led early, and late, for a second straight victory after dropping the first two games in Detroit. Girardi wasn't in the dugout at the end of this win.
Girardi became upset after Dirks hit a go-ahead double down the line because Welke put his hands up to indicate it was a foul ball, then signaled it was fair. Replays weren't conclusive as it to where it landed.
Girardi raised his arms several times, tossed his cap and had to be separated from Welke more than once by second base umpire Bob Davidson.
As he walked off, Girardi gestured that Quintin Berry should go back to first base and Dirks should bat again.
Girardi has been ejected three times this season, all against Detroit.
The Yankees scored twice with two outs in the second on Raul Ibanez's triple and Ichiro Suzuki's single.
Alex Avila's two-run homer tied it in the fifth and Dirks' double put the Tigers ahead and led to Girardi being tossed.
Detroit starter Doug Fister allowed two runs on eight hits over 6-13 innings. Hiroki Kuroda gave up three runs and 10 hits, matching a season high, over 6 1-3 innings.
NOTES: The game started after a 29-minute rain delay and it started raining again in the middle of the game. .. New York's road trip continues Friday night at Toronto. ... Detroit, which went 5-2 on its homestand, plays Friday night at Texas. ... Suzuki has at least a hit in 15 of 16 games with the Yankees. ... The Tigers outrighted OF Don Kelly's contract to Triple-A Toledo.
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