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Igawa's '08 debut a failure; Yanks fall to Tigers

The Tigers' Placido Polanco beats the tag from second baseman Robinso Cano, left, to steal second base in the fourth inning of Friday night's game in Detroit. (AP Photo/Duane Burleson / May 9, 2008)

BY KAT O'BRIEN | kat.obrien@newsday.com

11:49 PM EDT, May 9, 2008

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DETROIT - The Yankees did not have outrageous expectations for Kei Igawa in his first major-league start of the season.

General manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi both said they hoped Igawa would give them "a chance to win."

A ninth-inning rally gave the Yankees a shot at beating the Tigers, but that was despite Igawa, not because of him. Given Igawa's horrible performance, the Yankees were lucky to be within shouting distance of the Tigers in a 6-5 loss.

Igawa gave up six earned runs on 11 hits in three innings plus four batters, and now owns an 18.00 ERA. Even Girardi left wiggle room in the pre-game plan of giving Igawa another start on Wednesday.

"The plan is for him to start again in five days, but sometimes ... I mean, that's the plan," Girardi said.

The only reason the Yankees would keep Igawa in the rotation is because their options are slim. Phil Hughes went on the disabled list with a stress fracture in a right rib, and was replaced by Darrell Rasner, who starts Saturday. Ian Kennedy has made just one start since being demoted to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, and the Yankees would like to see him make several minor-league starts before bringing him back. And they are not yet ready to move Joba Chamberlain from the bullpen into the rotation.

Still, Igawa must change something to stick around.

"We need to correct the off-speed because you can't go out there with one pitch," Girardi said.

The Tigers only swung and missed two of the 64 pitches Igawa threw last night. When called up from Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, he was 3-3 with a 3.86 ERA in seven starts, and his 40 strikeouts ranked third-best in the International League.

Through his interpreter, Igawa said the one thing he would like to change was "getting more strikeouts."

Igawa needed more outs, period. He faced 20 batters, and gave up 11 hits. A big chunk of the outs were hard-hit fly balls scorched deep into the outfield.

Ivan Rodriguez, who was 3-for-4 with two doubles, two RBIs and two runs scored, led off the Tigers' first with a double to left-centerfield. Placido Polanco's line drive that ricocheted off Igawa's posterior pushed Rodriguez to third and Carlos Guillen's sacrifice fly to deep center scored Rodriguez.

Igawa made it through the second without allowing another run. The Tigers scored three runs in the third as Igawa gave up five hits. And he allowed four consecutive hits and two runs to start the fourth inning before being yanked.

Girardi said Igawa was down to only his fastball for throwing strikes. Igawa seemed not to realize that, saying: "I thought the changeup worked well in terms of control."

The Yankees put together a ninth-inning rally against Tigers closer Todd Jones. They scored three runs and had tying run Bobby Abreu on second. Jones intentionally walked Hideki Matsui, whose hitting streak ended at 17 games, to pitch to Shelley Duncan, who flew out to centerfield to end the game. Abreu, Derek Jeter and Robinson Cano each had RBIs that inning.

The Yankees committed three errors, by Wilson Betemit, Matsui and Chad Moeller. Tigers starter Kenny Rogers (3-3) held the Yankees to two earned runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings. Jason Giambi hit a solo home run, his second in two days, in the second inning. Moeller singled home Cano in the seventh.

The Yankees also lost another player to an injury. Righthander Jonathan Albaladejo, who pitched 21/3 scoreless innings in relief of Igawa, left with right elbow discomfort. Girardi said Albaladejo will fly to New York for an MRI Saturday, and will be placed on the disabled list, with Chris Britton to be recalled.

"It felt like a needle going in my elbow," Albaladejo said.