Yankees 14, Tigers 3
NEW YORK -- Designated hitter Alex Rodriguez hit a three-run home run and drove in five runs while switch-hitting right fielder Carlos Beltran homered from both sides of the plate as the New York Yankees rolled to a 14-3 rout of the Detroit Tigers Saturday night.
A night after becoming the 29th player to reach 3,000 hits with a home run off Justin Verlander, Rodriguez drove in five runs for the first time since April 23, 2011 at Baltimore and first time at home since May 31, 2010 against Cleveland. He drove in runs with a fielder's choice and sacrifice fly in his first two plate appearances and hit his 668th career home run in New York's five-run third.
Beltran recorded his 37th multi-homer game in consecutive innings. He homered from the left side of the plate against right-hander Alfredo Simon (7-4) in the third and connected in the fourth from the right side off lefty Ian Kroll.
Center fielder Brett Gardner was a home run shy of the cycle in his first three at-bats, getting a triple in the first, a double in the second and a single in the third.
Shortstop Didi Gregorius and left fielder Chris Young also homered for the Yankees, who set a season high with 18 hits and tied a season high with five home runs.
Young, catcher Brian McCann and third baseman Chase Headley added RBI singles for New York, which has won 11 of its last 12 games.
Right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (6-2) pitched on three days rest and allowed two runs and three hits in six-plus innings.
Simon pitched deliberately through his 2 2/3 innings and during the second-shortest start of his career, he was rocked for seven runs and eight hits. During his outing, catcher James McCann made three mound visits and pitching coach Jeff Jones made two trips.
Detroit pulled starting second baseman Ian Kinsler, first baseman Miguel Cabrera and left fielder Yoesnis Cespedes after the fifth inning. The Tigers (34-34) also used reserve infielder Josh Wilson to pitch the eighth as they dropped their fourth straight and fell to .500 for the first time this season.
Detroit's only runs came in the seventh. J.D. Martinez, who had been moved to second base, had an RBI double, right fielder Josh Wilson scored on a wild pitch by reliever Bryan Mitchell and catcher James McCann had an RBI single.
The Yankees took a 1-0 lead with one out in the first when Gardner tripled and scored on a ground ball by Rodriguez. Gardner scored when third baseman Andrew Romine's throw deflected off Gardner's helmet as he scored and the play was ruled a fielder's choice and a throwing error.
New York opened the second and third with solo home runs sandwiched around a sacrifice fly by Rodriguez.
Gregorius began the second by driving a 1-0 fastball into the first row of the right-field seats for a 2-0 lead and Beltran started the third by sending a 3-1 fastball over the right-center-field wall into New York's bullpen.
The Yankees knocked out Simon on a single by Headley past Cabrera that extended the lead to 5-0. Two pitches later, Rodriguez crushed a 1-1 pitch from Kroll into the left-field seats for an eight-run cushion.
New York added another run with one out in the fourth on Beltran's second home run of the game, this time while batting from the right side.
The Yankees scored their 10th run on a bloop single by Young and added two runs in the fifth without an out being recorded on McCann's single and Beltran getting hit by a pitch.
An RBI groundout by Gregorius pushed New York's lead to 13-0.
NOTES: Yankees rookie OF Mason Williams had an MRI on his jammed shoulder and did not play after injuring it in the fifth inning Friday. ... The Yankees held their 69th annual Old-Timers Day celebration and honored former 2B Willie Randolph (1976-1988) with a plaque in Monument Park. Randolph won six World Series with the Yankees as a player and coach (1977, 1978, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2000). ... The Yankees also honored former RHP Mel Stottlemyre, who also was pitching coach, with a plaque in Monument Park. Stottlemyre is dealing with multiple myeloma, the same form of cancer he had in 2000 and 2011. ... Detroit DH Victor Martinez was in the lineup for the second straight day after being activated from the disabled list Friday. ... RHP Ivan Nova, coming back from Tommy John surgery, is expected to rejoin the Yankees next week.