DETROIT – The closest battle at Comerica Park on Saturday afternoon was between Carlos Rodon and his offense.
Rodon’s hot starting pitching staff was bogged down in ineffectiveness, while the Yankees’ offense lost to the Tigers, 4-0.
Rodon’s shortest appearance of the season saw him give up four runs in 3 1/3 innings and needing 90 pitches to get 10 outs.
But even if he had been better, the bigger problem was the Yankees’ lack of offense, which was limited to just four hits (three of which came from Oswaldo Cabrerra) and was held in check by Cader Montero and the Tigers’ relief staff.
Montero, a rookie right-hander, entered Saturday with a 5.76 ERA through his first 10 major league games (nine starts), but against the Yankees (73-51), he pitched five scoreless innings, allowing just two hits and two walks while striking out five.
Before Aaron Judge’s leadoff double in the top of the ninth (the Yankees’ only extra base hit of the day), the Yankees had only been in scoring position once, when Ben Rice put a runner on third base with two outs in the top of the second, before Rice flied out to get the team out of danger.
The two teams are scheduled to meet Sunday night in Williamsport for the Little League Classic series finale, but poor weather could mean the game could be postponed to Monday at Comerica Park.
The Tigers (60-64) scored four runs off Rodon, one more than the Yankees had allowed in their previous three games combined, but Aaron Boone’s Yankees suffered their seventh shutout loss of the season.
Rodon was in good form before Saturday, posting a 2.22 ERA in four games since the All-Star break.
However, against the Tigers, he was a victim of extra-base hits, and was forced to throw 36 pitches in the second inning, in which he gave up three runs, and 30 pitches in the third inning, in which he scored no runs. He only walked one batter, but went into the sixth inning with a full count, and 24 pitches were fouled off.
Anthony Volpe nearly got the Yankees on the scoreboard in the ninth inning, but his fly ball with a runner on second base fell into Matt Beerling’s glove just short of the left field fence for the final out.
