Yankees intentionally walk Miguel Cabrera sitting on 2,999 hits, fall to Tigers as offense disappears

DETROIT — The Yankees were lucky to get out of Comerica Park with just a loss Thursday. The Bombers were booed and taunted by a very angry crowd after intentionally walking Miguel Cabrera, sitting on 2,999 hits, in the eighth inning. The Tigers drove in two more runs after Aaron Boone’s controversial decision and went on to beat the Bombers, 3-0.

It was the third time in just 13 games the Yankees (7-6) offense was completely shut down, spoiling another excellent pitching performance. Jordan Montgomery pitched six solid innings, allowing just one run and getting Cabrera out each of the three times he faced him.

After Miguel Castro gave up a leadoff double to Victor Reyes in the 8th, Robbie Grossman singled and Jonathan Schoop walked to load the bases. Lucas Luetge came in to get Jeimer Candelario to ground into a double play.

Pitching coach Matt Blake walked out to the mound to talk to Luetge and the infield as Boone called for the intentional walk. That set off boos and chants of “Yankees suck” louder than Fenway Park in October.

Austin Meadows doubled in two more runs after that.

Miguel Cabrera goes 0-for-3 before being intentionally walked in the 8th. (Paul Sancya/AP)

Montgomery was sharp Thursday, allowing three hits, including an RBI-double to Grossman in the second inning. He walked two and struck out five. That included striking out Cabrera twice, keeping him stuck at 2,999.

Cabrera flew out to left field in the first inning. Montgomery struck him out on four pitches in the 4th, getting him to swing on an 81-mph curveball for the third strike. In the sixth, Montgomery needed six pitches and Cabrera could not hold back his swing on a 93 mph sinker.

He got 14 swings and misses, including seven on that sinker.

But like Saturday night, Montgomery got no run support from the Yankees’ inconsistent offense.

Michael Pineda, making his season debut after visa issues delayed his arrival this spring, threw five scoreless, allowing just three hits. He struck out two. The Bombers didn’t get a runner in scoring position until DJ LeMahieu reached third after leading off with a single in the fifth.

In the eighth, the Yankees had their chance with Josh Donaldson’s leadoff, pinch-hit double. Gleyber Torres, who was out of the starting lineup for the second time in this three-game series, followed with a single. Pinch-runner Tim LoCastro was thrown out at the plate on Anthony Rizzo’s ground ball to the pitcher and the bases were left loaded after an Aaron Judge walk when Giancarlo Staton grounded out to first.