Bronx, NY (SportsNetwork.com) - Brian McCann belted a tie-breaking solo homer in the seventh inning, and the New York Yankees pulled away late to record a 5-1 decision over the Detroit Tigers on Wednesday.
Chase Headley also had a solo homer as part of a 2-for-4 night, while McCann finished with two RBI in New York's fourth win in five games.
Chris Capuano turned in an impressive start for the Yankees, striking out a season-best eight while yielding one unearned run over 6 2/3 innings and going toe-to-toe with Detroit's Justin Verlander. Adam Warren (2-5) followed with 1 1/3 scoreless innings to receive the victory after McCann's go-ahead blast.
"You know it was going to be a close game," Capuano said. "Justin didn't have quite the velocity on his fastball, but he was really pitching tonight. He made great pitches all night."
Verlander (10-10), the third straight former Cy Young Award winner to face the Yankees in this series, allowed just five hits in seven innings. However, two of them left the yard courtesy of McCann and Headley.
"I feel like I threw the ball better," Verlander said. "The last few times out since the All-Star break, every time has been a little bit better."
Warren stepped into a tough situation with two out in the top of the seventh and the game still tied at 1-1, as consecutive singles from Andrew Romine and Ezequiel Carrera off Capuano put runners at the corners and turned over the Tigers' lineup.
The Yankee reliever quickly retired Rajai Davis on a grounder, however, and McCann hammered a Verlander changeup into the home bullpen in the bottom of the inning to send the Bronx Bombers in front.
After Warren stranded two more runners in the eighth, the Yankees broke the game open against the Detroit bullpen during their half of the frame.
A Brett Gardner single and a walk placed two aboard for Mark Teixeira, who shot a base hit into left to plate Gardner for a 3-1 edge. Following a Carlos Beltran single that loaded the bases, McCann bounced into a fielder's choice that scored both Jacoby Ellsbury and Teixeira, with the latter initially ruled out at the plate after attempting to cross on a throwing error by Romine, but the Yankees getting the call overturned on a challenge.
The Tigers got their lone run before they recorded their first hit, as Davis reached on a Derek Jeter error to open the game and took second on a Capuano wild pitch before moving up another base on a groundout. Miguel Cabrera then delivered a sac fly to right to put Detroit on the board.
Capuano kept the Detroit hitters off balance over the remainder of his stint, though, and Headley drew New York even with a long drive off the second-deck facade in right in the fifth.
Verlander had been perfect through his first three innings of work and had permitted just one hit prior to Headley's shot.
Game Notes
Teixeira injured his left hand while sliding into the plate in the eighth inning and did not return to the field for the night ... The final result ended a string of 16 straight games for the Yankees that had been decided by two runs or less ... Including the postseason, the Tigers have lost all seven of Verlander's starts at the current Yankee Stadium ... The game marked the third time that the Yankees had faced former Cy Young winners in three straight games, the last coming against Atlanta's Tom Glavine, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux in 2001 ... Tigers outfielder Torii Hunter did not play after taking a pitch off his left hand in Tuesday's matchup.
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