NEW YORK -- Aaron Boone stood at his usual perch near the top step of the Yankees dugout in the late innings on Wednesday, chomping on a wad of Dubble Bubble as he occasionally scanned the lineup card, then folded it into his back pocket. As far as the late innings have been concerned in this series, answers have been difficult to find.

Carlos Rodón turned in six innings of two-run ball, but for the second consecutive evening , New York’s relievers stumbled. Camilo Doval and Tim Hill surrendered late homers as the Yankees fell to the Tigers, 11-1 , at Yankee Stadium. It marked the first time in franchise history that New York's relievers combined to allow nine earned runs in two straight games.

It was just last weekend that the Yankees crowed about having what they believed could be

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