Yankees 7, Tigers 6 Snap Reaction: Tigers give game away on walk off passed ball

It doesn't get much worse than tonight. The Detroit Tigers lost their 5th consecutive game, and their 6th of 7, falling in God awful fashion to the New York Yankees, 7-6. Brayan Villarreal took the loss, Mariano Rivera nailed down the win in relief. With the brutal loss, the Tigers fall to 10-10. The Yankees are now 11-8 on the season.

Why was it so brutal? The Yankees scored the winning run without the benefit of a hit, and with the benefit of a wild pitch and passed ball.

In the bottom of the 1st, the Yankees started the scoring. Alex Rodriguez looped a single of off Justin Verlander, scoring Curtis Granderson. At least the Brad Eldred era got off to a fast start. Eldred's 2nd inning pop fly single was played in to a triple by a diving Nick Swisher., scoring the Wizard, Don Kelly. 1-1 game!

A trio of consecutive singles by Austin Jackson, Brennan Boesch and Miguel Cabrera gave the Tigers 2-1 lead in the 3rd. Prince Fielder's ground out made it 3-1. All looked good, especially with Verlander on the mound.

But in the 4th, ARod homered into the short Yankee Stadium porch in right field, making it a 3-2 game. All was still good. Veralnder, right? Not so much. Russell Martin took Verlander deep to the opposite field, his home run bringing home Chavez. 4-3 Yankees. Still cool. Verlander!

But the Tigers took the lead back, thanks to a Jhonny Peralta double, a Ryan Raburn single and Jackson's double. Jackson scored on Fielder's single. The Tigers do load the bases, but Alex Avila ends the inning with a ground out. Tigers lead 6-4. But Verlander is still on the mound, it's all good!

But the Wizard wasn't. Kelly charged in on a Raul Ibanez liner, and watched it fly over his head for a 2 out RBI double, scoring Swisher. The look on Verlander's face was the same as when he couldn't get into the Perfect Game Club. The Yankees are down a run, 6-5.

Verlander left after 6 innings, the pitcher of record. As we rolled into the 8th, the game was in the hands of the Tigers' bullpen. Joaquin Benoit was on the mound., as Jim Leyland goes by the bullpen bible. And Benoit proceeds to give up singles to ARod and Robinson Cano. Mark Teixeira drilled a sac fly to deepest center, scoring ARod and advancing Cano, tie game. Benoit got out of the inning with a pair of strikeouts, but the damage was done.

In the bottom of the 9th, all Hell broke lose. Villarreal (REALLY? Yes, really. Coke, Dotel and Benoit had pitched. But...damn.) was on the mound. With 1 out, Derek Jeter walked. And we all know what happens when you walk a batter late, right? BAD THINGS, MAN. BAD THINGS.

Granderson also walked, but Villarreal wild pitched Jeter to 3rd on ball 4. Which brought up up Arod, who did nothing. He didn't have to, as a passed ball brought Jeter home. The Tigers lose 7-6 on a walk off passed ball.

I know this is only one game. This too shall pass. But at the moment?

Kill me now.