Yankees club the Tigers

NEW YORK -- He would not go near the words ``I" or ``me." Not even close.

Derek Jeter went 5 for 5 with an eighth-inning home run and started a key inning-ending double play in the third inning, but he would only talk about the great team effort in leading the Yankees to an 8-4 win over the Tigers in the first game of the American League Division Series at Yankee Stadium last night.

His costar, Bobby Abreu, who drove in four runs could only express his amazement at his new teammate and how honored he is to hit behind Jeter, who might be the American League MVP -- and could wind up being the postseason MVP if he has a few more nights like this.

``I've seen it on TV. That guy is amazing," said Abreu about Jeter. ``Right now, being behind him watching him play, it's amazing. That guy is a gamer. He's a leader and you can learn a lot of things from him."

``He just seems to relish this atmosphere," said Yankees skipper Joe Torre. ``He's come up so big for us the last 11 years. He has such a competitiveness and drive in big games -- not that he slacks off in the other games -- but he doesn't ever think negatively."

Torre said Jeter isn't afraid to fail.

Jeter said, ``You're going to fail more than you succeed at baseball. That's the bottom line. We've been in this position a lot in postseason games. You always have to think positive. You're not always going to come through and there's been plenty of times when I haven't."

It was Sox manager Terry Francona who turned out to be a prophet, telling general manager Theo Epstein at the trading deadline if the Red Sox let the Yankees acquire Abreu he might become the best hitter in the league the second half of the season.

Now the Yankees are profiting beyond the regular season with Abreu, who hit .330 with seven homers and 42 RBI for the Yankees.

The potent Yankee lineup blasted Tigers starter Nate Robertson for 12 hits and seven runs in his 5 2/3 innings, while Yankees starter Chien-Ming Wang lasted until Torre took the ball from him with two outs in the seventh to a roaring standing ovation at the House that Ruth Built to earn his first postseason win.

Abreu helped put away the Tigers with a two-run single through the right side that scored Johnny Damon and Jeter in the sixth that made the score 7-3.

The new edition of Murderers Row is like a snowpack on a mountain slope, and at any moment it could bury the helpless in its path. All it needs is a trigger.

Last night it came in the third inning when Damon reached on a little roller on which Robertson stumbled as he tried to barehand the ball as it trickled under his hand. The hit seemed harmless. But nothing in the Yankees lineup is harmless.

Damon's hit was followed by four others and soon the Yankees had piled on five runs.

Damon, the trigger man of the Yankees offense, had a new twist last night with Gary Sheffield batting cleanup and Alex Rodriguez down to sixth. But behind him, as usual, was Jeter, who doubled to left-center. They both scored on Abreu's double to right-center, which sent the Yankee faithful -- yes even Donald Trump -- into wild applause.

Robertson never knew what hit him. Sheffield, who played well at first base, stroked an RBI single, and then on a 1-and-2 pitch, Jason Giambi topped it off with a two-run blast into the second deck in right.

Craig Monroe put the Tigers on the board with a leadoff homer to center field in the fifth, which sparked a three-run inning.

The Tigers got a one-out single to right by No. 9 hitter Brandon Inge and then a pair of two-out RBI doubles by Placido Polanco and Sean Casey, which got the Tigers back into contention before Wang stopped the momentum by striking out Magglio Ordonez to end the inning.

The Tigers were their own worst enemy on the evening, victims of aggressiveness in the second inning. Ordonez led off with a double and Carlos Guillen walked. But a failed hit and run, on which Ivan Rodriguez whiffed on Wang slider, allowed catcher Jorge Posada to throw out Ordonez at third. The Tigers also wasted a first-and-third, one-out situation in the third inning as Polanco hit into a 6-4-3 double-play.

The twin killing was the product of three nice plays by the Yankee defense: Jeter getting to the ball in the hole and his quick release to second; second baseman Robinson Cano for a quick turn with Curtis Granderson bearing down on him; and Sheffield with a full stretch on Cano's throw which nipped Polanco by a step.

``I thought I was going throw to Bobby out in right field," said Jeter. ``I had to make that play really fast and Robby did a nice job turning that."

Some of the work by the Yankees bullpen was shaky with Mike Myers serving a homer to Granderson with two outs in the seventh. Scott Proctor and Kyle Farnsworth had their moments before Mariano Rivera got the Tigers out in the ninth.