The Yankees suffered three disappointments in their home opener. Catfish Hunter failed to win, Bobby Bonds failed to produce and the crowd was only 26,212. The Tigers posted a 5-3 victory as Nate Colbert and Willie Horton smashed home runs and John Hiller delivered clutch relief pitching.

Colbert's blow came in the sixth inning with two men on and gave the Tigers a lead they never relinquished. Hiller replaced starter Mickey Lolich in the seventh frame with the bases loaded and none out. He struck out Bonds and got Bob Oliver to bounce into a double play. The Yankees' runs in the first inning resulted from four tainted hits and an error. [The Sporting News]



Detroit Tigers 5, New York Yankees 3
Game Played on Friday, April     11, 1975 (Day game) at Shea Stadium
Tigers       2  0  0    0  0  3    0  0  0  -   5  7  1
Yankees      3  0  0    0  0  0    0  0  0  -   3 10  1


Tigers               AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Yankees              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
LeFlore cf            3   1   0   0     1   1   .000      Alomar 2b             5   0   1   0     0   2   .143
Sutherland 2b         4   1   2   0     0   0   .250      Johnson dh            3   1   1   0     2   1   .250
Horton dh             4   2   1   2     0   2   .143      Bonds rf              5   1   2   1     0   1   .222
Colbert 1b            4   1   1   3     0   0   .286      Oliver 1b             4   1   1   1     0   2   .250
Freehan c             3   0   0   0     1   0   .000      Munson c              3   0   2   0     1   0   .571
Meyer lf              3   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Piniella lf           4   0   1   0     0   0   .125
  Stanley lf          1   0   0   0     0   0   .000      Nettles 3b            4   0   0   0     0   1   .125
James rf              4   0   0   0     0   0   .143      Maddox cf             3   0   0   0     1   2   .000
Veryzer ss            4   0   2   0     0   1   .286      Mason ss              2   0   0   0     0   0   .000
Rodriguez 3b          3   0   1   0     0   1   .400        Williams ph         1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
Lolich p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Stanley ss          0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Hiller p            0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Dempsey ph          1   0   1   0     0   0  1.000
                                                          Hunter p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               33   5   7   5     2   5             Totals               35   3  10   2     4   9

Time of Game: 2:34   Attendance: 26,212
Left on Base: Tigers 3, Yankees 9
DP: Tigers 2, Yankees 1
Errors: Veryzer, Nettles
Doubles: Bonds (1), Oliver (1), Piniella (1)
Home Runs: Horton (1), Colbert (1)
Caught Stealing: Veryzer (1), Bonds (1)
GIDP: LeFlore (1), Oliver (1)


Tigers                 IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Lolich W(1-0)           6     9   3   2   3   6   0  29   3.00
Hiller SV(1)            3     1   0   0   1   3   0  10   0.00
Totals                  9    10   3   2   4   9   0  39

Yankees                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Hunter L(0-1)           9     7   5   5   2   5   2  35   5.00
Totals                  9     7   5   5   2   5   2  35

Umpires: HP - Larry Barnett, 1B - Hank Morgenweck, 2B - Marty Springstead, 3B - Don Denkinger


TIGERS 1ST: LeFlore struck out; Sutherland singled; Horton
homered [Sutherland scored]; Colbert made an out to shortstop;
Freehan flied out to right; 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 2,
Yankees 0.

YANKEES 1ST: Alomar was called out on strikes; Johnson singled
to third; Bonds doubled [Johnson scored]; Oliver doubled [Bonds
scored]; Munson singled to shortstop [Oliver stayed at second];
Piniella forced Munson (second to shortstop) [Oliver scored
(error by Veryzer) (unearned)]; Nettles grounded out (second to
first); 3 R (2 ER), 4 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 2ND: Meyer grounded out (second to first); James popped
to catcher in foul territory; Veryzer struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 2ND: Maddox flied out to right; Mason popped to third in
foul territory; Alomar flied out to right; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
 Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 3RD: Rodriguez struck out; LeFlore grounded out
(shortstop to first); Sutherland flied out to center; 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 3RD: Johnson struck out; Bonds singled; Oliver struck
out while Bonds was caught stealing second (catcher to
shortstop); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 4TH: Horton struck out; Colbert popped to third in foul
territory; Freehan made an out to first; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 4TH: Munson flied out to center; Piniella doubled;
Nettles struck out; Maddox walked; Mason grounded out (second to
first); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 5TH: Meyer made an out to second; James grounded out
(third to first); Veryzer singled; Rodriguez popped to catcher
in foul territory; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 5TH: Alomar flied out to right; Johnson walked; Bonds
made an out to shortstop; Oliver struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1
LOB.  Tigers 2, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 6TH: LeFlore walked; Sutherland singled [LeFlore to
second]; Horton forced Sutherland (shortstop to second) [LeFlore
to third]; Colbert homered [LeFlore scored, Horton scored];
Freehan walked; Meyer grounded out (first to pitcher) [Freehan
to second]; James grounded out (first unassisted); 3 R, 2 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 5, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 6TH: STANLEY REPLACED MEYER (PLAYING LF); Munson
singled; Piniella flied out to right; Nettles popped to catcher
in foul territory; Maddox struck out; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.
Tigers 5, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 7TH: Veryzer lined to left; Rodriguez singled; LeFlore
grounded into a double play (second to shortstop to first)
[Rodriguez out at second]; 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Tigers 5,
Yankees 3.

YANKEES 7TH: WILLIAMS BATTED FOR MASON; On a bunt Williams
singled; Alomar singled [Williams to third]; Johnson walked
[Alomar to second]; HILLER REPLACED LOLICH (PITCHING); Bonds
struck out; Oliver grounded into a double play (second to first)
[Johnson out at second]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.  Tigers 5,
Yankees 3.

TIGERS 8TH: STANLEY REPLACED WILLIAMS (PLAYING SS); Sutherland
grounded out (third to first); Horton struck out; Colbert
reached on an error by Nettles; Freehan popped to first in foul
territory; 0 R, 0 H, 1 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 5, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 8TH: Munson walked; Piniella made an out to shortstop;
Nettles grounded out (second to first) [Munson to second];
Maddox struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers 5, Yankees 3.

TIGERS 9TH: Stanley popped to catcher in foul territory; James
flied out to right; Veryzer singled to third; Veryzer was caught
stealing second (catcher to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Tigers 5, Yankees 3.

YANKEES 9TH: DEMPSEY BATTED FOR STANLEY; Dempsey singled; Alomar
struck out; Johnson popped to first in foul territory; Bonds
forced Dempsey (third to second); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Tigers
5, Yankees 3.