Nate Colbert's grand-slam homer capped a seven-run seventh inning which carried the Tigers to a 7-2 victory over the Yankees. Tiger rookie Vern Ruhle and the Yanks' Pat Dobson were locked in a scoreless battle through six frames before Bill Freehan opened the Bengals' big inning with his first homer of the season.

Dan Meyer then singled and stole second as Art James struck out. Tom Veryzer walked and Aurelio Rodriguez singled to load the bases. Graig Nettles' error and a sacrifice fly scored two more runs. Willie Horton was given an intentional pass to load the sacks again and set the stage for Colbert. The Yankees routed Ruhle in the seventh, but John Hiller relieved and preserved the victory. [The Sporting News]



Detroit Tigers 7, New York Yankees 2
Game Played on Saturday, April     12, 1975 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Tigers       0  0  0    0  0  0    7  0  0  -   7  7  1
Yankees      0  0  0    0  0  0    2  0  0  -   2  6  2


Tigers               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
LeFlore cf            5   1   0   0     0   0   .000      Maddox cf             5   0   1   0     0   0   .125
Sutherland 2b         4   0   0   1     0   0   .167      Piniella lf           4   0   2   2     0   0   .250
Horton dh             4   1   1   0     1   1   .182      Bonds rf              3   0   0   0     1   0   .167
Colbert 1b            4   1   1   4     1   1   .273      Blomberg dh           3   0   0   0     1   0   .286
Freehan c             4   1   1   1     0   0   .100      Nettles 3b            4   0   1   0     0   1   .167
Meyer lf              3   1   2   0     1   0   .222      Chambliss 1b          4   0   0   0     0   1   .375
James rf              4   0   0   0     0   1   .091      Munson c              4   0   0   0     0   1   .364
Veryzer ss            3   1   1   0     1   1   .300      Mason ss              2   1   0   0     1   0   .000
xRodriguez 3b         2   1   1   0     1   0   .000        Johnson ph          1   0   1   0     0   0   .400
Ruhle p               0   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Alomar 2b             2   0   0   0     0   1   .111
  Hiller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Williams ph,2b      2   1   1   0     0   0   .667
                                                          Dobson p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Pagan p             0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Lyle p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   7   7   6     5   4             Totals               34   2   6   2     3   4

Time of Game: 2:34   Attendance: 12,215
Left on Base: Tigers 6, Yankees 8
DP: Tigers 0, Yankees 1
Errors: Colbert, Nettles, Munson
Doubles: Piniella (2)
Home Runs: Freehan (1), Colbert (2)
Stolen Bases: James (1), Meyer (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Sutherland (1)
GIDP: LeFlore (2)


Tigers                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Ruhle W(1-0)            6.2   5   2   2   3   2   0  29   2.70
Hiller                  2.1   1   0   0   0   2   0   8   0.00
Totals                  9     6   2   2   3   4   0  37

Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Dobson L(0-1)           6.2   5   7   1   5   3   2  31   1.35
Pagan                   1.1   2   0   0   0   0   0   6   0.00
Lyle                    1     0   0   0   0   1   0   3   0.00
Totals                  9     7   7   1   5   4   2  40

Umpires: HP - Hank Morgenweck, 1B - Marty Springstead, 2B - Don Denkinger, 3B - Larry Barnett


TIGERS 1ST: LeFlore grounded out (third to first); Sutherland
grounded out (first unassisted); Horton singled to shortstop;
Colbert grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 1ST: Maddox grounded out (shortstop to first); Piniella
grounded out (shortstop to first); Bonds walked; Blomberg
grounded out (second to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0,
Yankees 0.

TIGERS 2ND: Freehan flied out to center; Meyer grounded out
(second to first); James grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0
H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 2ND: Nettles flied out to left; Chambliss reached on an
error by Colbert [Chambliss to second]; Munson grounded out
(shortstop to first); Mason grounded out (second to first); 0 R,
0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

TIGERS 3RD: Veryzer was called out on strikes; Rodriguez walked;
LeFlore grounded into a double play (shortstop to second to
first) [Rodriguez out at second]; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers
0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 3RD: Alomar grounded out (shortstop to first); Maddox
grounded out (shortstop to first); Piniella doubled; Bonds
grounded out (third to first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0,
Yankees 0.

TIGERS 4TH: Sutherland grounded out (third to first); Horton
grounded out (second to first); Colbert walked; Freehan flied
out to center; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 4TH: Blomberg made an out to third; Nettles singled;
Chambliss made an out to shortstop; Munson flied out to center;
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

TIGERS 5TH: Meyer walked; James forced Meyer (first to
shortstop); James stole second; Veryzer reached on a fielder's
choice [James out at third (shortstop to third)]; Rodriguez
reached on catcher's interference by Munson [Veryzer to second];
LeFlore forced Veryzer (third unassisted); 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 2 LOB.
 Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 5TH: Mason grounded out (pitcher to first); Alomar was
called out on strikes; Maddox grounded out (shortstop to first);
0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

TIGERS 6TH: Sutherland grounded out (second to first); Horton
struck out; Colbert flied out to left; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 6TH: Piniella flied out to right; Bonds flied out to
center; Blomberg walked; Nettles grounded out (shortstop to
first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 0, Yankees 0.

TIGERS 7TH: Freehan homered; Meyer singled; Meyer stole second;
James was called out on strikes; Veryzer walked; Rodriguez
singled [Meyer to third, Veryzer to second]; LeFlore reached on
an error by Nettles [Meyer scored (unearned) (no RBI), Veryzer
to third, Rodriguez to second]; Sutherland hit a sacrifice fly
to right [Veryzer scored (unearned), Rodriguez to third, LeFlore
to second]; Horton was walked intentionally; Colbert homered
(unearned) [Rodriguez scored (unearned), LeFlore scored
(unearned), Horton scored (unearned)]; PAGAN REPLACED DOBSON
(PITCHING); Freehan made an out to shortstop; 7 R (1 ER), 4 H, 1
E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 7, Yankees 0.

YANKEES 7TH: Chambliss grounded out (first unassisted); Munson
was called out on strikes; Mason walked; WILLIAMS BATTED FOR
ALOMAR; Williams singled [Mason to second]; Maddox singled to
second [Mason to third, Williams to second]; Piniella singled
[Mason scored, Williams scored, Maddox to second]; HILLER
REPLACED RUHLE (PITCHING); Bonds grounded out (first to
pitcher); 2 R, 3 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 7, Yankees 2.

TIGERS 8TH: WILLIAMS STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING 2B); Meyer singled;
James flied out to center; Veryzer singled to third [Meyer to
second]; Rodriguez made an out to second; LeFlore made an out to
second; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 7, Yankees 2.

YANKEES 8TH: Blomberg grounded out (first unassisted); Nettles
struck out; Chambliss struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers
7, Yankees 2.

TIGERS 9TH: LYLE REPLACED PAGAN (PITCHING); Sutherland grounded
out (shortstop to first); Horton flied out to left; Colbert
struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 7, Yankees 2.

YANKEES 9TH: Munson grounded out (shortstop to first); JOHNSON
BATTED FOR MASON; Johnson singled to shortstop; Williams
grounded out (third to first) [Johnson to second]; Maddox made
an out to second; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 7, Yankees 2.