AP News
(2009-07-18 05:00:20)
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Mark Teixeira belted a three-run homer in the seventh inning to lift the New York Yankees to a 5-3 comeback victory over the Detroit Tigers on Friday and snap a three-game losing streak.
Curtis Granderson, with a double and a home run, helped spark the Tigers to a 3-2 lead in support of rookie left-handers Lucas French and Taiwanese reliever Ni Fu-te.
When hard-throwing right-handed reliever Joel Zumaya (3-3) came on to pitch, the Yankees rallied.
Derek Jeter fisted a lead-off single to right, Johnny Damon doubled high of the wall in right field and Teixeira turned on a 3-1 fastball and launched the decisive blast into the second deck in right.
"You don't try to overswing when a guy is throwing that hard and I put a good swing on it," Teixeira said of Zumaya, who hit 99 mph on the radar gun during the inning.
Asked about Teixeira's 22nd roundtripper of the year, New York manager Joe Girardi grinned.
"Three-run homers are nice, especially late in a game," he said.
Phil Hughes (4-2) registered six outs, all by strikeout, to pick up the win in relief of starter A.J. Burnett in the team's first game following the All-Star break.
"I guess the break gave me a little rest. I felt strong out there," said 23-year-old Hughes, who is thriving this season out of the bullpen after being groomed as a starter.
"It's nice to be in the game when it matters and counts," he added. "I guess I've kind of found a comfort zone out there."
After a rain delay of nearly an hour, Mariano Rivera came on to seal the victory in the ninth for his 24th save.
The victory improved the Yankees to 52-37 and dropped AL Central leading Detroit to 48-40.
(Writing by Larry Fine, Editing by Nick Mulvenney)
