Yanks Go Yard Recap: Gardner’s Homer Gives New York Yankees Their First Series Win In Over A Month

Aug 11, 2013; Bronx, NY, USA; New York Yankees center fielder

(11) is dunked with Gatorade by teammates including

(12) after hitting a walk off home run against the Detroit Tigers at Yankee Stadium. Yankees won 5-4. Mandatory Credit: Anthony Gruppuso-USA TODAY Sports

If the New York Yankees are going to get back in the playoff hunt, they are going to have to start winning series. They got their first one since July fourth weekend by beating the Tigers 5-4 in walk-off fashion. It was Mariano Rivera‘s third straight blown save. Before we get there though, let’s take a look at how it got to that point.

Andy Pettitte‘s first inning struggled continued. With one out, Torii Hunter singled and Miguel Cabrera followed with a walk. Prince Fielder drove in Hunter with a single.

The Yankees would respond off Justin Verlander in the second. Alex Rodriguez led off with his first homer of the season. He passed Stan Musial on the RBI list with 1,951 RBI. Lyle Overbay and Curtis Granderson would single and Eduardo Nunez gave the Yankees the lead with a sac fly.

A-Rod would add to his RBI total in the third. Robinson Cano got a ground-rule double and Rodriguez smacked one into right for a single that he couldn’t tell if it was fair or foul. Alfonso Soriano finally got this 2,000th career hit blasting his 20th homer of the season to make it 4-1.

The Yankee middle relief of Shawn Kelley and Boone Logan managed to keep the Tigers at bay. You think with David Robertson and Rivera coming in it would be game over right? Not so much.

In the eighth, Brayan Pena hit his fourth homer of the year to make it 4-2. In the ninth, like Dan talked about yesterday, it was Cabrera against Rivera. Well, Cabrera may not be able to run very well, but he can still hit. Cabrera deposited homer number 36. After a lineout, Victor Martinez would tie the game with his 10th homer of the year.

Gardner would win it in the ninth off ex-Yankee Jose Veras with his eighth homer of the season.

YGY Player Of The Game: Rodriguez

The Yanks begin a four game set with the Los Angeles Angels. Hiroki Kuroda will face Garrett Richards at 7:05.

Notes: With the Yankees needing an extra arm in the bullpen, Dellin Betances was recalled from AAA and David Adams was optioned to AAA. Cabrera is the first hitter since Edgar Martinez since 1995 to homer twice off Mariano Rivera in the same season.