(My Sportsbook) - CC Sabathia hopes to get himself as well as the New York Yankees back on track this evening when they open a three-game series with the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park.

Sabathia was awful in his last start on Wednesday against the Oakland Athletics, as he allowed a season-high seven runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He also walked four batters, but did not factor in the decision of his team's 9-7 win that day.

The left-hander, who, of course, signed a seven-year, $161 million deal with the Yankees this offseason, is 1-1 in four starts, while pitching to a 4.81 earned run average. He has also walked 14 batters in 24 1/3 frames.

Sabathia is 13-9 lifetime against the Tigers with a 4.70 ERA in 26 starts, including a 7-2 mark in 11 starts at Comerica.

New York could certainly use a big start from its ace tonight after getting swept in a three-game series by the Boston Red Sox over the weekend, including a 4-1 setback in Sunday's finale at Fenway Park.

Brett Gardner drove in the lone run for the Yanks, while Robinson Cano, Hideki Matsui and Melky Cabrera each had two hits for the Yankees, who had pulled off a three-game sweep of Oakland before starting the series with Boston.

Cano has hit safely in his last 13 games.

Andy Pettitte (2-1) got the loss as he gave up four runs -- three earned -- on six hits with four walks and six strikeouts in six innings of work.

The Tigers won the final two games of their weekend set with the Kansas City Royals, as they picked up a 3-2 decision in Sunday's rubber match at Kauffman Stadium.

Brandon Inge homered and Josh Anderson went 3-for-3 and scored once, while Dane Sardinha knocked in the other run for Detroit, which has won five of its last eight games.

Armando Galarraga (3-0) earned the win by scattering three hits and a run over six innings, fanning seven but not running into much trouble despite issuing five walks. Fernando Rodney gave up a run in the ninth but held on to record his fourth save.

Heading to the hill for the Tigers tonight will be 26-year-old right-hander Justin Verlander, who is 0-2 with a 9.00 ERA. Verlander was roughed up in his last start on Wednesday in Anaheim, as the Angels hit him for seven runs and nine hits in five innings.

Verlander has faced the Yankees four times and is 2-1 in those contests with a 6.63 ERA.

Detroit, which has played the fewest home games of any team in the league, will play its next eight games at Comerica, where it is 4-1 this season.

The Tigers won four of their six meetings with the Yankees last season, but was just 1-2 at home against them.