The $139 million Detroit Tigers are suddenly in a lot better shape than the $209 million New York Yankees.
Alex Rodriguez is headed to the disabled list, joining catcher Jorge Posada, in the latest round of bad news to strike the Yankees. Combined with a 6-4 loss to the Tigers, Tuesday night wound up being pretty miserable for fans in the Bronx.
“He’s a hard guy to replace,” manager Joe Girardi said of Rodriguez, who has a strained right quadriceps. “We have to find a way to get it done.”
Magglio Ordonez got Detroit going with a two-run single off struggling right-hander Phil Hughes, Gary Sheffield and Curtis Granderson homered in the third inning and the big-money Tigers (12-15) won for the sixth time in eight games as they try to recover from an 0-7 start.
Granderson also doubled, walked twice and scored three times from the leadoff spot, while No. 2 batter Placido Polanco had four hits in a matchup of baseball’s top-spending teams.
“It’s nice to win here, without a doubt. They’re a very good team. They always are,” Rogers said. “I know they didn’t have all their guys – I don’t care.”
In other AL games, it was Boston 1, Toronto 0; Baltimore 7, Tampa Bay 4; Seattle 7, Cleveland 2; Kansas City 9, Texas 5; Minnesota 3, the Chicago White Sox 1; and the Los Angeles Angels 2, Oakland 0.
A three-time MVP, Rodriguez left the ballpark before the game for an MRI exam that showed a Grade 2 strain of his quadriceps. He originally got hurt April 20 in Baltimore and missed three games before coming back for a four-game set in Cleveland that ended Monday.
The slugger was removed for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning of Monday night’s win over the Indians and said he felt a “pull” while running the bases.
Girardi said the team was surprised to learn the strain was so severe. Rodriguez was not available to reporters after Tuesday night’s loss.
“Hopefully, it’ll be no more than the 15 days,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said. “But we’ve got to get it right.”
Robinson Cano hit a two-run homer for the Yankees, who stranded 13 runners in their return home after playing 18 of the previous 20 games on the road.
Besides the injury to Rodriguez, the club also is waiting for opinions on Posada’s ailing throwing shoulder before determining whether the All-Star catcher needs surgery.
Jason Giambi’s RBI single cut it to 6-4 in the ninth, but Todd Jones retired the next three batters for his fifth save. Cano struck out with a runner on to end it.
Playing with their entire projected lineup for only the second time this season, the Tigers took advantage of an ineffective Hughes (0-4), who has a 9.00 ERA after six starts.
Rogers (2-3) gave the youngster a lesson in winning without sharp stuff, holding New York in check despite giving up six hits and walking four in six innings.
The 43-year-old left-hander was the oldest pitcher to start against the Yankees since Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan did so for Texas at age 45 on June 1, 1992, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. New York won that game 7-1.
“Feeling young is not in the equation anymore,” Rogers said. “They’ve had me for a while, so hopefully it’ll be my turn for a while – for whatever time is left.”
The Tigers’ Denny Bautista walked the bases loaded in the eighth and forced in a run when he hit Derek Jeter with a pitch, making it 6-3. Clay Rapada retired Bobby Abreu on a grounder to escape further damage.
Booed by the crowd of 49,194, Hughes allowed six runs and eight hits in 3 2-3 innings. He also crossed up new catcher Chris Stewart a couple of times, including on one of his two wild pitches.
Now, the Yankees must decide whether to stay patient with Hughes and keep him in the rotation throughout his second big league season.
“It’s something we’ll have to talk about, and we’ll talk to the player, too,” Cashman said.
Red Sox 1, Blue Jays 0
At Boston, Kevin Youkilis lined a run-scoring single to center in the ninth, ending a brilliant pitching duel between Roy Halladay and Jon Lester.
Halladay (2-4) pitched his fourth straight complete game, but he’s lost the last three as Toronto fell to 3-10 in its last 10 games.
Jonathan Papelbon (1-0) retired the side in the ninth to pick up the win.
Orioles 7, Rays 4
Garrett Olson took a shutout into the seventh inning, and host Baltimore ended Tampa Bay’s six-game winning streak in a surprising duel for first place in the AL East.
Recalled from Triple-A Norfolk before the game, Olson (1-0) gave up two runs and four hits in 6 2-3 innings, walking five and striking out six. George Sherrill got his 10th save.
Jason Hammel (2-2) allowed three runs, six hits and four walks in 2 2-3 innings.
Mariners 7, Indians 2
Adrian Beltre hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in visiting Seattle’s five-run ninth inning, and Mark Lowe (1-1) got out of a jam to earn the win.
Jose Lopez singled to start the ninth off Rafael Betancourt (1-1) and took second on a soft single by Raul Ibanez. Beltre then hit an 0-1 pitch for his fifth homer and a 5-2 lead.
Royals 9, Rangers 5
Jose Guillen hit a two-run homer and drove in five for visiting Kansas City.
Jason Jennings (0-5) gave up eight hits and five runs before leaving in the third with ulnar nerve irritation in his right arm. Texas fell to a major league-worst 9-18.
Ron Mahay (1-0) inherited a 7-5 lead, a runner at second and one out, and combined with three other relievers to hold Texas scoreless over the final 5 2-3 innings.
Twins 3, White Sox 1
Boof Bonser (2-4) gave up a homer to Joe Crede among his six hits, but picked up host Minnesota’s beleaguered starting rotation with the group’s first win in 10 days.
Jason Kubel homered and Joe Nathan picked up his eighth save for the Twins.
Gavin Floyd (2-1) gave up three runs and five hits in six innings and Crede hit his AL-leading seventh homer of the season.
Angels 2, Athletics 0
Joe Saunders remained undefeated in six starts for host Los Angeles, joining Frank Tanana as the only pitchers in the franchise’s 48-year history to go 5-0 in April.
Francisco Rodriguez pitched the ninth for his major league-leading 11th save.
Rookie Greg Smith (2-1) allowed two runs and just three hits over eight innings as he went the distance for the first time in five starts. He struck out five and walked three.
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