Jameson Taillon allowed one run in five effective innings for his first win in exactly two years, while Aaron Judge drove in three runs, including a tie-breaking RBI double in the fifth inning as the host New York Yankees recorded a 6-4 victory over the Detroit Tigers on Saturday.
Taillon (1-2) allowed three hits in the longest of his five outings with the Yankees and did not allow a hit until Jeimer Candelario hit a home run with two outs in the fourth. He struck out eight, walked three and threw 79 pitches.
Taillon had six of his strikeouts before Candelario homered and then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by striking out Miguel Cabrera.
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It was Taillon’s first win since beating the Texas Rangers on May 1, 2019 for the Pittsburgh Pirates. A little over three months later, Taillon underwent his second Tommy John surgery and then refined his mechanics during his lengthy rehab.
A day after he hit two home runs in his return from missing two games due to lower body soreness, Judge hit an RBI double in the fifth off Spencer Turnbull (1-2) to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead. He then hit a two-run single off Jose Cisnero in New York’s four-run sixth when the Yankees went up 6-1.
Gleyber Torres also drove in three runs for the Yankees, who are 7-3 in their past 10 games. Torres hit an RBI single in the third and added a two-run base hit in the sixth.
The Tigers dropped their fourth straight and lost for the 14th time in 16 games although this time they made a late comeback attempt.
Candelario went 3-for-4, Jonathan Schoop added a two-run single in the seventh off Justin Wilson and Niko Goodrum homered off Chad Green in the eighth, his fourth of the season.
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Green easily finished the eighth and Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect ninth for his fifth save in as many chances.
Turnbull allowed four runs on five hits in five-plus innings. The right-hander was lifted after hitting Aaron Hicks with a pitch and walking Gary Sanchez to open the sixth.
A walk to Clint Frazier loaded the bases and, after Cisneros got the first two outs, Judge laced an 0-1 fastball to right field to put New York up 4-1. The Yankees took a 6-1 lead when Torres ripped an 0-1 fastball to left field.
–Field Level Media