Field Level Media
Jun 4, 2018
Austin Romine hit a three-run homer during a sixth-run fourth, ace Luis Severino enjoyed another overpowering performance and the New York Yankees won their fifth straight by thumping the host Detroit Tigers 7-4 in the opener of a day-night doubleheader on Monday afternoon.
Greg Bird and Gleyber Torres supplied solo homers for the Yankees, who lead the majors with 93 home runs.
Severino (9-1), who has won his last seven decisions, limited the Tigers to two runs (one earned) on four hits while striking out 10 and walking none in eight innings. Severino has recorded double-digit strikeouts in four games this season.
Aroldis Chapman got the last out for his 14th save.
Nicholas Castellanos led the Tigers' attack with two hits, a run scored and an RBI. He has 25 multi-hit games. Miguel Cabrera, Niko Goodrum and Jose Iglesias contributed run-scoring doubles.
Detroit starter Drew VerHagen (0-2), brought up from Triple-A Toledo prior to the game, lasted just 3 2/3 innings while surrendering seven runs on seven hits.
Sandy Baez, called up from Double-A Erie, made his major league debut in relief of VerHagen and held the Yankees hitless for 4 1/3 innings with four strikeouts.
The doubleheader was scheduled after a pair of postponements in mid-April during the teams' only scheduled series at Detroit's Comerica Park.
The Tigers struck first in the opening inning on Cabrera's RBI double. That brought home Castellanos, who hit a one-out single.
VerHagen didn't give up a hit until Torres' opposite-field shot in the third, his 10th long ball of the year. The 21-year-old Torres has blasted all of his homers since May 4. The Yankees now have five players with double-digit homers.
VerHagen completely fell apart the next inning. Bird led off with his second homer. The next four batters rapped singles, including run-scoring hits by Miguel Andujar and Clint Frazier. Romine followed with his fourth homer to center field.
The Tigers pushed across an unearned run in the fifth. Leonys Martin reached second on a two-out throwing error by second baseman Torres and scored on Castellanos' single.
Goodrum and Iglesias doubled in runs in the ninth off Jonathan Holder. Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Victor Martinez to end the game.
--Field Level Media