The lights are now officially off at Yankee Stadium, as the Bombers fell to the Detroit Tigers by a final of 3-2 on Thursday night baseball. New York had plenty of opportunities, leaving 11 men-on-base, but could not find the key hit to advance in the playoffs.

It was a night of redemption for Tigers starter Doug Fister, who struck out four batters for his first playoff victory. As for the Yankees hurler Ivan Nova-he left the game after two innings with a tight forearm.

Nova was hit early in the top of the first, giving up back-to-back homers to Don Kelly and Delmon Young. Victor Martinez hit an RBI single in the top of the fifth; to give the Tigers a 3-0 lead…before the Yankees struck for their first run in the bottom of the frame.

It was Robinson Cano’s second deck shot in the fifth, which broke the shutout bid in the fifth, for the young-slugger’s eighth career postseason homer-fourth in the Division series.

The Bombers forced in a run in the bottom of the seventh, when Mark Teixeira walked with the bases loaded to make the game 3-2. New York left the bags juiced twice in the game-as the Bombers had a golden opportunity in the fourth inning as well.

This marks the third consecutive loss in an elimination game for the Yankees, who also fell in the fifth game of the 2005 ALDS to the Angels, and the seventh game of the 2004 ALCS to the Red Sox. The last time the Yankees won an elimination game was Game Seven of the 2003 ALCS, which Aaron Boone won with a walk-off homer.

Stay tuned to Smack Sports-NY as we will continue to provide Yankees fans with offseason news and notes.

Written on October 6, 2011