Hughes tries to get on track as Yanks battle Tigers

The New York Yankees put an end to Detroit's 12-game winning streak Friday night, this despite Mariano Rivera blowing his second straight save chance and the distractions of the boos pelted at Alex Rodriguez.

Phil Hughes hopes to end a long personal skid Saturday afternoon when the Yankees host the Tigers for the middle contest of a three-game series.

The Yankee righty is 0-3 over his last five appearances and hasn't won since July 2 at Minnesota. Hughes has given up five runs in each of his last two outings, including lasting just 2 2/3 frames at San Diego on Sunday.

Hughes has dropped eight of his last 10 decisions, going 2-8 with a 5.11 ERA in 14 starts during that span. He has given up at least one homer in nine of those starts.

In 11 career games (9 starts) against the Tigers, Hughes is 5-5 with a 4.42 ERA.

Detroit right-hander Anibal Sanchez tries to win his third straight decision and even his lifetime record today. Sanchez enters the contest 57-58. That includes a 2-0 mark over his last three starts. He's coming off a no-decision at Cleveland on Monday when he allowed four hits and a pair of runs over 7 2/3 innings, but he did strike out 11 batters.

Sanchez is 1-1 with a 7.27 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees.

Brett Gardner's third hit of the night, a single with two outs in the bottom of the 10th inning, lifted the Yankees to a wild 4-3 decision that prevented the Tigers from achieving their longest victorious stretch since a 14-game tear in 1934.

"I hope this jump starts us a lot," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We need to win series. We need to win a lot of games moving forward."

Detroit didn't go down easy in its first loss since July 25, however, as Miguel Cabrera belted a dramatic two-run homer off Rivera with his team down to its last strike to send the game into extra innings. It was the legendary closer's second blown save in as many chances.

"When you don't have a lead in the ninth you don't want to face Mariano. He's one of the best closers in the game. We want to have the lead in the ninth and have a chance to win. You don't want to have to take any chances," said Cabrera.

Cabrera, who had an RBI single earlier in the contest, spoiled a strong outing from New York starter Ivan Nova, who scattered eight hits while holding Detroit's potent lineup to one run and collecting seven strikeouts over seven innings.

Rodriguez went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in his first Yankee Stadium appearance since last October's AL Championship Series matchup with Detroit, but Robinson Cano delivered a key two-run double for New York and Ichiro Suzuki added three hits to help the Yankees halt a four-game skid that included three defeats to AL Central cellar-dweller Chicago to conclude a rough road trip.

Austin Jackson finished 4-for-6 with two runs scored for Detroit, while Al Albuquerque (2-3) was dealt the loss after allowing the deciding run in the 10th.

The Tigers took two of three from the Yankees earlier in the year.