NEW YORK — Hiroki Kuroda struck out seven while retiring the side in order through three innings, and the New York Yankees pressed ahead without injured captain Derek Jeter and were scoreless with the Detroit Tigers on Sunday in Game 2 of the AL championship series.
Jeter was off getting scans, a day after breaking his left ankle in the 12th inning of the opener, which the Tigers won 6-4 despite closer Jose Valverde allowed two-run homers to Ichiro Suzuki and Raul Ibanez in the ninth. Jeter was replaced at shortstop by Jayson Nix.
Since the ALCS became best-of-seven in 1995, 19 of 22 teams with 2-0 leads have gone on to win the pennant. After a day off, the series resumes Tuesday in Detroit with AL MVP Justin Verlander starting for the Tigers and Phil Hughes for New York.
Kuroda, a 37-year-old right-hander pitching on three days' rest for the first time in his big league career, dominated with a mix of fastballs, sliders and splitters. Anibal Sanchez was nearly as efficient in the first three innings, allowing a pair of hits.
New York's slump at the plate continued early.
Robinson Cano grounded out in the first and third innings and is hitless in 24 at-bats. Alex Rodriguez took a called third strike on a changeup in the second, dropping to 2 for 20 with no RBIs in the postseason, including 0 for 16 with 11 strikeouts against right-handers. Curtis Granderson fanned, falling to 3 for 24 with 12 Ks.
Mark Teixeira doubled with two outs in the first and hot-hitting Raul Ibanez walked. Russell Martin had a soft comebacker that Sanchez gloved behind his back before throwing to first.
Nick Swisher reached with two outs in the second on an infield hit, a liner that second baseman Omar Infante dived for but allowed to squirt out of his glove. Nix flied out to the left-field warning track on a ball Quintin Berry at first misjudged.