Bullpen falls apart in Tigers' 5-2 loss to Yankees Tuesday

Kyle Lobstein tosses six one-run innings, but takes loss

DETROIT – Kyle Lobstein pitched six solid innings for the Tigers, but the offense sputtered and the bullpen fell apart in the top of the 7th to hand the Yankees a 5-2 win. Detroit fell to 11-3 on the season and New York drew even midway through the four-game series.

For the second night in a row, Mark Teixeira got the Yankees out to an early lead, ripping a two-out double down the right field line in the 1st inning to score Brett Gardner from 1st base. Lobstein struggled with his command early, walking Gardner and leaving a changeup up in the zone to Teixeira, resulting in the run.

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Detroit threatened with a pair of leadoff hits to start the bottom of the 3rd, the first of which extended Nick Castellanos' hitting streak to nine games. Alex Avila followed with his own single, this one to center field. But Nathan Eovaldi worked through Jose Iglesias and the top of the Tigers' order to strand two runners in scoring position.

The Tigers put the first two runners on again in the 4th, after a Miguel Cabrera single and a 10-pitch walk from Victor Martinez. But a strikeout of J.D. Martinez followed by a Yoenis Cespedes double play helped Eovaldi wiggle out of the jam once again.

Kyle Lobstein settled down after his early wildness, getting through six strong innings. He allowed three hits and four walks, but only one run.

Unfortunately, the Tigers couldn't touch Eovaldi. Despite four leadoff singles in the first six innings, Detroit didn't push a run across for Lobstein, who left the game down 1-0.

Four double plays helped the Yankees starter pitch around traffic through six innings.

Ian Krol took over for Lobstein in the 7th inning and served up a leadoff home run to Chris Young to stretch the Yankees lead to 2-0. After an ensuing flyout, Krol allowed another solo shot, this time to Stephen Drew. The second homer ended his short night.

Tom Gorzelanny wasn't much better, as he got a ground out but then surrendered a walk and a single.

Al Alburquerque came in and completely lost the strike zone, spiking his first pitch in front of the plate before uncorking a wild pitch over Avila's head to score another Yankee run. He went on to walk Alex Rodriguez and Teixeira to load the bases.

Alburquerque threw only one of his nine pitches within a foot of the strike zone.

Blaine Hardy came in and retired the 9th Yankee batter of the inning with the Tigers trailing 4-0. The four relievers combined to throw 41 pitches in the frame.

The Tigers finally got on the board in the bottom of the 7th after J.D. Martinez ripped a leadoff double to left. He moved to third base on a wild pitch and scored on a lineout to center field off the bat of Yoenis Cespedes.

Hardy allowed a double and a walk to start the 8th, but got a strikeout sandwiched between a pair of pop ups to escape the jam.

Avila ended Eovaldi's night with a leadoff double in the bottom of the 8th. The Yankees' starter finished with four strikeouts and allowed just one run on eight hits over seven innings.

Dellin Betances came in for the Yankees and got Iglesias to pop up the first pitch to Teixeira. He then carved up Anthony Gose and Ian Kinsler on sliders in the dirt to end the threat.

New York added a run in the 9th on a ground ball to left field by Brian McCann that scored Gardner. It was called an error on Castellanos, his 1st of the season.

Hardy finished the game with two strikeouts over 2.1 innings. He allowed two hits, two walks and one unearned run.

Chris Martin came in and struck out Cabrera and Victor Martinez to start the bottom of the 9th, but then surrendered hits to J.D. Martinez and Cespedes.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi brought in closer Andrew Miller to slam the door. Miller walked Castellanos to bring Rajai Davis, the tying run, to the plate with two down. He walked Davis to make it 5-2, but then struck out Iglesias to end the game.

Lobstein was handed his first loss of the season.

Detroit will look to regain the series lead Wednesday night behind David Price. The Yankees will counter with Adam Warren.