Headley Chases Tigers

The Yankees closed out July by opening a home series with the Detroit Tigers, and the news of the Sonny Gray trade. Gray, who wore Number 54 in Oakland, worn here by Aroldis Chapman, has been given 55. Jaime Garcia, who wore 54 in Atlanta and 24 in his brief stint with Minnesota, has yet to be assigned a number.

Luis Severino was the starting pitcher, and he struggled, but he won his struggle. When Joe Girardi pulled him after 5 innings -- and 116 pitches -- he'd given up 4 hits and 3 walks, but only 1 run.

The game was scoreless going into the 4th inning, but the Tigers took a 1-0 lead. It didn't last long: Aaron Judge led off the bottom of the 4th with a walk, Gary Sanchez reached on an error, and Matt Holliday drew a walk to load the bases. Cliche alert: Walks and errors can both kill you -- or, in the Yankees' case, save you.

Chase Headley nearly hit one out, settling for a double that scored Judge and Sanchez and got Holliday to 3rd. Todd Frazier singled home Holliday and Headley, and that was pretty much all the Yankees needed.

Judge added a home run in the 5th inning, his 34th of the season. The Yankees got 2 more runs in the 7th, and while the Tigers talled in the 6th and the 9th, the Yankee bullpen was up to the task. Yankees 7, Tigers 3. WP: Severino (8-4). SV: Chapman (13). LP: Michael Fulmer (10-9).

The Boston Red Sox also won, so the Yankees remain a half-game in front. The Magic Number to win the AL East is 56.

The series continues tonight. CC Sabathia starts against Anibal Sanchez. Then a matinee tomorrow, with Masahiro Tanaka starting against Jordan Zimmerman.