Monday night, though, he showed a sizzling fastball, a quality changeup and a curveball that except for two flat pitches was diving into the dirt.

"He was throwing an easy 93, 94, 95 (mph)," manager Jim Leyland said, "and when he needed a little extra, he got it.

"You know, he's had two outstanding starts besides this one."

In the first three innings, Verlander got the first few of his nine strikeouts by starting hitters with fastballs most of the time, then going to the curve with two strikes. Next time through the order Verlander reversed the pattern and it seemed to work against the Yankees hitters.

"I was thinking, 'Just go out there and do what you do,'" Verlander said. "Don't think negatively, think positive."

Verlander gave up two singles to start the fourth and eighth innings. He worked out of the first jam with a fly out and two strikeouts. Lefty Bobby Seay came in to take care of the second situation.

"I felt like I went out that last inning and kind of overthrew," said Verlander, who threw 79 of his 110 pitches for strikes.

His fastball was moving away from the heart of the plate instead of into it and his curve looked like a strike until it got to the plate and dove down.

"He was electric," said right fielder Magglio Ordonez, who backed his starter with a two-run home run.

TIGERS 4, YANKEES 2: A simple little drag bunt, plus strong pitching, was the key to the Tigers' fifth win in their first six home games this season.

CF Curtis Granderson beat out a drag bunt against LHP CC Sabathia in the sixth inning Monday night to set up 2B Placido Polanco for an RBI double and RF Magglio Ordonez for a two-run opposite field home run in a three-run inning that dealt the Yankees their fourth loss in a row.