Major League Baseball

Tanaka, Torres lead Yanks over Tigers 2-1; McCutchen hitless

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 5:08 p.m. ET

NEW YORK (AP) — Gleyber Torres came through for the Yankees on a day they welcomed newcomers Andrew McCutchen and Adeiny Hechavarria to the Bronx and got slugging catcher Gary Sanchez back from the disabled list.

Torres hit a two-run homer and Masahiro Tanaka pitched seven strong innings for his first win since July, as New York beat the Detroit Tigers 2-1 Saturday.

The Yankees got only two hits, but won for the 11th time in 15 games. New York has the second-best record in the majors, behind AL East-leading Boston.

Torres hit his 22nd homer of the season and third since the start of the Yankees' homestand on Monday, a stretch over which he's batting .526 with eight RBIs.

"He's impacted our club in a profound way on both sides of the ball all year," manager Aaron Boone said about Torres, a Rookie of the Year candidate.

Torres connected in the fifth off Daniel Norris (0-3) for the Yankees' first hit.

McCutchen went 0 for 3 and struck out twice in his Yankees debut. The former NL MVP batted leadoff and played right field, a day after being acquired from San Francisco.

"I didn't have the game I wanted to have personally, the first one, but we got the win and that's what's most important," McCutchen said. "All around it was a good day and it's a day I'm not going to forget for sure."

Sanchez, who missed nearly six weeks with a recurring groin injury, went 0 for 4.

"I thought he caught great today," Boone said. "I thought he looked pretty much on time at the plate, so I thought a really good first day for him even though he didn't get any results at the plate."

Hechavarria, traded from Pittsburgh to New York late Friday night, arrived at the ballpark about two hours before first pitch and entered at shortstop to start the ninth.

"When I got the news it was about 12:30 at night so I was not really waiting for anything like that so it was a big surprise for me," Hechavarria said through a translator. "I've got to thank God I'm here with a great team with a well-known history."

Tanaka (10-5) gave up one run and seven hits for his first victory since July 31. He was 0-3 with a 4.40 ERA in five August starts.

"Just to be able to come up with the win today, I think that's a really good start," Tanaka said through a translator.

Tanaka joined Andy Pettitte as the only pitchers in Yankees' history to reach double-digit wins in each of their first five seasons in the majors.

Jonathan Holder pitched a scoreless eighth and Dellin Betances notched his second save in the ninth.

Norris, reinstated from the disabled list and making his first big league appearance since April 29, was pulled later in the fifth with cramping in his left calf. He had been sidelined for most of the season with a strained left groin.

"He's coming off this groin thing, the surgery, so you have to get him out of there. He tried to stay," said Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire. "The ball came out of hands, it's just the calf was cramping."

Norris fanned seven, including six of the first 10 New York batters.

The Tigers loaded the bases in the first and scored on a sacrifice fly by Victor Martinez.

CALL-UPS

Both clubs made additional moves before the game with rosters expanding from 25 to 40.

New York recalled RHP Luis Cessa and INF Tyler Wade from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and signed lefty reliever Stephen Tarpley to a major league contract. Wade appeared as a pinch-runner in the seventh, stole a base and remained in the game. OF Shane Robinson was designated for assignment.

Detroit recalled RHP Sandy Baez from Double-A Erie.

THAT'S A FIRST

Betances fanned Jeimer Candelario to start the ninth, becoming the first reliever in major league history to record at least 100 strikeouts in five consecutive seasons.

"It means a lot, honestly," Betances said about the feat. "From 2014 I've been able to stay healthy which is the key."

IT TAKES TWO

Saturday's game was New York's third game with two or fewer hits this season, and their first win with less than three hits since May 27, 2017, versus Oakland.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Yankees: SS Didi Gregorius (left heel contusion) sprinted on a treadmill, fielded grounders and took batting practice. GM Brian Cashman said that a more realistic return date for Gregorius could be Friday in Seattle as opposed to Monday at Oakland. ... OF Clint Frazier (migraines) will be re-evaluated after finishing the remaining minor league games available to rehab in. ... LHP Aroldis Chapman (left knee tendinitis) continues to receive treatment but there is still no timetable for his return.

UP NEXT

Tigers: LHP Matthew Boyd (8-12, 4.22 ERA) will make his first career appearance at Yankee Stadium in Sunday's series finale.

Yankees: RHP Lance Lynn (8-9, 4.84 ERA) tries to get back on track after allowing 13 runs in 15 innings over his last three starts.