Tigers rough up Yankees
Justin Verlander found his groove on the mound, and the Detroit Tigers rediscovered their stroke at the plate as they clobbered the visiting New York Yankees 16-0.
Verlander shut down the Yankees with his best stuff since throwing a no-hitter while Detroit roughed up Mike Mussina and a couple of relievers in its highest-scoring game this the season.
The all-star pitcher gave up just 3 hits and Placido Polanco was one of three Tigers with at least 3 hits.
"We're playing with a sense of urgency right now because our fate is in our own hands," Verlander said. "We need to just go out and have fun and play like we did for most of the first half of the season."
It was the most one-sided road shutout loss in the Yankees' history, topping a 15-0 defeat at the White Sox on July 15, 1907.
"This has been a bad road trip, and now we've got a very important homestand ahead of us," Derek Jeter said. "We have to start winning again."
The Tigers took three of the four games and won a series for the first time since sweeping Minnesota from July 17-19.
"If you don't get any confidence from taking three out of four against the Yankees, you probably don't have a pulse," said Brandon Inge, who had 4 RBI.
Detroit didn't make up any ground in the AL Central, though, because the Cleveland Indians won their third straight game to maintain a 2½-game lead.
"Everything is so tight that whoever gets hot right now is going to win this thing," Casey said.
The Tigers scored their most runs since beating Baltimore 17-2 last Sept. 15.
Mussina (8-10) might've pitched himself out of the rotation, lasting just 3 innings and giving up 6 runs, 9 hits and a walk.
"Give me a day to digest it, and I'll be able to answer some more questions," Yankees manager Joe Torre said.
Indians 8, Twins 3: Paul Byrd (13-5) beat Minnesota once again, Victor Martinez homered and host Cleveland turned a triple play in slowing Minnesota's climb in the AL Central.
With runners at first and second in the top of the seventh, Indians reliever Rafael Perez came on and got Mike Redmond to hit a hard grounder to third baseman Casey Blake, who fielded it and quickly stepped on the bag.
Blake then threw to second baseman Asdrubal Cabrera, whose relay to first baseman Victor Martinez easily beat the slow-footed Twins catcher.
It was the third triple play turned in the major leagues this year.
National League
Phillies 9, Mets 2: Chase Utley had 3 hits, including a solo homer, in his first game since having hand surgery one month ago, and Philadelphia beat visiting New York in the opener of a pivotal four-game series.
The victory moved the Phillies move within 5 games of the NL East-leading Mets.
Braves 13, Marlins 2: Brian McCann hit his second grand slam in a week and Atlanta rebounded from a tough weekend in St. Louis to rout slumping Florida in Miami.
The Braves won for the second time in seven games, after losing two of three over the weekend to the Cardinals. The Marlins lost for the 12th time in their last 13.