DETROIT (AP) — Rookie Tarik Skubal pitched six shutout innings, and the Detroit Tigers beat New York 6-2 Sunday for their first home series sweep of the Yankees in 21 years.
New York was outscored 15-5 with 36 strikeouts during the series and went 1 for 25 with runners in scoring position. Shortstop Gleyber Torres had two errors and third baseman Gio Urshela one that contributed to a four-run third inning and a 6-0 Detroit lead.
Gary Sánchez made a baserunning blunder as the Yankees tried to rally in the eighth, jogging to second and getting thrown out.
Michael King allowed four runs — two earned — three hits and two walks in 2 1/3 innings in an erratic audition to replace injured Corey Kluber in the rotation.
New York loaded the bases with two out in the ninth, but Michael Fulmer struck out Aaron Judge, the 12th strikeout by Tigers pitching.
Detroit had not swept a three-game home series from the Yankees since May 12-14, 2000, its first season at Comerica Park.
New York has lost five of six following a six-game winning streak. The Yankees headed home for a seven—game homestand against the two teams ahead of them in the AL East, first-place Tampa Bay and second-place Boston.
Before the game, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said Triple-A first baseman Chris Gittens was “on our radar.”
Skubal (2-7) allowed three hits and three walks with eight strikeouts in his third big league win. Skubal became the first Tigers rookie to strike out at least eight batters in three straight starts.
New York’s first two runners reached in the first, but Judge grounded into a double play.
Nomar Mazara hit a two-run double in the bottom half, with Miguel Cabrera running through a stop sign to score on an off-line throw by left fielder Clint Frazier.
Willi Castro hit a three-run double in the four-run third off Nestor Cortes Jr., who made his season debut. Torres slammed his glove into the dugout wall and floor on his way off the field at the end of the inning.
Torres hit an RBI single in the eighth off Bryan Garcia and Sánchez had a run-scoring single against Fulmer. When the ball got away from first baseman Jonathan Schoop, Sánchez tried to advance but failed to hustle and was thrown out.
HEY, BABY
The wife of Yankees 1B Luke Voit delivered a girl.
HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY
While the United States celebrates Mother’s Day on the second Saturday in May, it is held on the last Sunday of May in the Dominican Republic. Castro and Candelario, both U.S. citizens with Dominican heritage, wore pink undershirts for the occasion.
TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Luis Severino (Tommy John surgery on Feb. 27 last year) is on track to make his first injury rehabilation appearance late this week for Low A Tampa.
UP NEXT
Yankees: RHP Jameson Taillon (1-3. 5.06) starts Monday against LHP Rich Hill (3-2, 3.63).
Tigers: Start a two-game series Monday at Milwaukee and RHP Corbin Burnes (2-4, 2.33)
