Moehler, Tigers Stop Yanks 2-1

Brian Moehler was just trying to keep things simple Sunday -- stay ahead of the hitters, not get too fancy or overthrow.

The strategy worked as Moehler allowed just three hits in eight innings and the Detroit Tigers snapped a seven-game losing streak with a 2-1 win over the New York Yankees.

Damion Easley's sacrifice fly scored the go-ahead run in the eighth inning as Detroit ended New York's eight-game winning streak and beat the Yankees in Tiger Stadium for the first time in 13 games.

"I think I've been trying to do too much," said Moehler (1-2). "I've been trying to just throw it past guys. I stayed at home all last night and stared at the wall, and I said I should just pitch the same way I did to get here."

Moehler struck out seven and walked one. He retired the first 14 batters he faced and allowed only five baserunners.

"Moehler pitched better than he has in a long time," Tigers manager Buddy Bell said. "He was throwing strikes. He was out of the middle of the plate all day. He had good movement and he stayed strong all game."

Moehler shut down a New York lineup that had scored 19 runs in the first two games of the series.

"All I can say is he pitched a great game," New York's Derek Jeter said after going 0-for-3 and striking out twice against Moehler. He also fanned in the ninth against Todd Jones, who earned his second save.

Yankees starter Hideki Irabu was also outstanding, allowing just three hits in six-plus innings. He left after Tony Clark broke a scoreless tie with a leadoff homer in the seventh.

Irabu was struck in the side by Brian Hunter's line drive in the sixth and said he was stiff in his right lower back.

"It's a little bit tight right now," Irabu said through an interpreter. "I can't turn as well as I'd like to."

"In the sixth inning when it happened I was a little excited and threw some practice pitches and thought I could go. After that, the more I went, the tighter it got."

Irabu struck out seven and walked two.

"He pitched very well today," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "He matched Moehler pitch for pitch. There was just no offense."

With the score tied 1-1 in the Detroit eighth, Raul Casanova singled and Brian Hunter walked before a wild pitch from reliever Darren Holmes (0-1) put runners at first and third with one out. Easley hit a fly to short center, and speedy pinch-runner Kimera Bartee scored as Bernie Williams' throw was off line.

"With KB on third, you have to give it a chance, regardless of whether he gets thrown out," Bell said.

Clark, who struck out his first two at-bats, hit a 2-0 pitch off the facing of the right-field upper deck for his first home run in 65 at-bats this year. He hit 32 last season but none since Sept. 14.

"It was nice just to get a run on the board, because Brian was pitching an outstanding game and he needed a run," Clark said. "That was the important thing."

New York tied it 1-1 in the eighth. Chad Curtis and Scott Brosius singled to put runners at the corners with one out. Pinch-hitter Jorge Posada bounced a grounder to second, and Curtis scored when the Tigers couldn't turn a double play.

The only runners for either team through 4 1-2 innings came from two Irabu walks in the first. Neither runner got past first, however, as Irabu picked off Hunter and struck out Easley and Clark.

Moehler, helped by a great diving stop from second baseman Frank Catalanotto that robbed Tino Martinez of a hit, retired everyone he faced before Darryl Strawberry drew a two-out walk in the fifth.

Curtis followed with a high chopper left of the mound that Easley couldn't handle at short. It was ruled a hit, the first of the game.

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