NEW YORK _ Yankees are landing on the injured list at an alarming rate.
Monday brought two rapid-fire additions to an already crowded IL. Giancarlo Stanton went on it because of a left biceps strain, and then hours later, just before the game against the Tigers, Miguel Andujar joined him with a small labrum tear, Aaron Boone said.
For one game, the Yankees sloughed off the dual setbacks, downing the Tigers, 3-1, on a 40-degree night at the Stadium. The long-term effects of the injuries, of course, cannot be determined.
Stanton and Andujar joined a list that includes Luis Severino, CC Sabathia, Aaron Hicks, Didi Gregorius, Dellin Betances and Jacoby Ellsbury.
It didn't matter Monday night, not against a Tigers team expected to be among the worst in baseball. After dropping two of three to the woeful Orioles, the Yankees (2-2) were determined to come out far better and they did, led by one of their young arms and one of their most respected veterans.
As well as a defensive assist by their All-Star right fielder.
Right-hander Domingo German struggled with his command at times, walking five in five innings, but when he commanded his curveball the results were impressive. He allowed one unearned run and one hit, striking out seven.
Boone was able to roll out most of his collection of stellar bullpen arms after German. Chad Green, Zack Britton and Adam Ottavino got the ball to Aroldis Chapman. The lefty, whose velocity has been a topic early on, earned his first save with a 1-2-3 ninth.
Ottavino made it interesting in the eighth, walking the first two batters, and Niko Goodrun followed with a sinking liner to right. Judge laid out and made a diving catch for the first out. His left wrist bent awkwardly as he hit the ground but he appeared OK.
An offense that stranded 25 runners in the two losses against the Orioles hardly had a breakout performance but produced enough.
Thirty-five-year-old Brett Gardner, 1-for-13 coming in, had two hits, including his first homer, a solo shot to right in the fifth that made it 3-1. Gary Sanchez hit his second homer in as many days, a long blast to center in the second that put the Yankees on the board. They added an unearned run in the third.
The Tigers got two on in the first against German, drawing two walks, but Jeimer Candelario flied to left to end the 20-pitch inning.
The Yankees put their first runner in scoring position in the bottom half against Tyson Ross. Gardner led off with a single and stole second with two outs. Greg Bird stranded him, striking out to end the inning and leaving him 1-for-8 with six strikeouts. Sanchez gave the Yankees the lead for good to start the second, driving a 1-and-1 fastball out.
After German kept the Tigers hitless in the third _ stranding two with a strikeout to end it _ the Yankees added on.
Luke Voit led off with a walk and Bird lined a single to left. Christin Stewart butchered the ball, allowing the 255-pound Voit to come around from first for a 2-0 lead.
The Tigers shaved that in half in the fourth. Stewart walked and, after Grayson Greiner flied out, Jordy Mercer delivered Detroit's first hit of the night, a ground smash to left. With Mikie Mahtook at the plate, a German curveball bounced away from Sanchez for a wild pitch. Sanchez fired a low dart to second and Gleyber Torres couldn't come up with the ball, which ended up in center field, allowing Stewart to score to make it 2-1. The error was charged to Sanchez, although it appeared that Torres, whose glove hand was slid into by Mercer, could have caught the ball.
Gardner got the run back, launching Ross' full-count fastball to right.
