The Yankees needed a big effort from Andy Pettitte on Friday night and something to wake their creeping malaise.

They got both.

Pettitte was brilliant through eight and Jason Giambi belted two home runs, but the biggest play of the night came in the bottom of the third inning.  With the Tigers up 1-0 and the Yanks on their way to wasting a first and second nobody out rally, Bobby Abreu hit a routine ground ball to short that took a wicked hop and bounced into center for an RBI single.  That two-out gift from above was the beginning of six unanswered runs scored by the Yanks and sparked the Bombers to a 6-1 victory over Detroit at The Stadium.

The Good:

Andy Pettitte.  Pettitte was tremendous on Friday night.  He was painting corners, changing speeds and keeping the Tigers off balance.  He also took charge on a popup in the infield.  It may be ridiculous, but you just don't see pitchers call for balls in the air -- even if they are in perfect position to field them.  Anyway, it looks like Pettitte is ready to put the team on his back for the stretch run.  Andy won his fourth straight game and improved to 10-7 on the season with this effort: 8 IP, 5 IP, 1 R, 1 BB, 5 K.

Bobby Abreu.  Abreu entered Friday night's game batting a sickly .217 against lefties (yeah, I didn't believe it either), but picked up three hits against lefty Nate Robertson.  Sure, two of them were infield hits and one had some magic pixie dust on it, but, hey, you wouldn't have know that if you didn't see the game.  Abreu finished 3 for 4 with a stolen base and an RBI.

Jason Giambi.  It's nice to see that the Giambino's mind is free and clear a day after Bud Selig decided to squash that steroid investigation (or whatever it is they're doing) against him.  Giambi blasted two more homers on Friday night (including a titanic bomb into the upper deck in the eighth) and now has four dingers since coming off the DL.  Looks like Torre may work Giambi into the lineup more and curb Johnny Damon's playing time.  At least, for now.  Jay Jay finished 2 for 4 with two runs scored and 2 runs batted in.

The Bad:

Derek Jeter.  The Captain was the only Yankee starter who didn't reach base either by a hit or walk on Friday night.  He finished 0 for 4, struck out twice and left four runners on base.  Yeah, I'm not that concerned about it, either.

The Ugly:

Poor baserunning.  Robinson Cano has been one of the hottest hitters since the All-Star Break, but he continues to mystify on the basepaths.  On Sunday afternoon in Cleveland, he was doubled off on a weak liner to third and on Friday night he failed to tag up at second and advance to third on a fly ball to right field.  The gaffes didn't hurt the Yanks, but Robbie has to be more aware out there.  C'mon, Robbie -- the Yanks already have one of the worst baserunners in the league in Jorge Posada.  They don't need another one.

Roger Clemens returns to the Yanks after serving his five-game suspension and will take the hill against Chad Durbin.  Clemens should be well rested since he hasn't pitched in 11 days and will try and even his mark to 5-5 on the year.  Durbin started the season in the Tiger starting rotation and pitched well (4-1 through April and May), but moved back to the pen in late June.  Now he's back in the starting role and so far things haven't worked out.  He's 0-2 with an 8.78 ERA in his last two starts.

The Yanks will look to make it 0-3.