Yankees 4, Tigers 3: Mark Teixeira and Eric Chavez belted back-to-back homers in the eighth inning and visiting New York salvaged a four-game split against Detroit.

Chavez followed Teixeira's solo homer with a go-ahead, opposite-field blast off Joaquin Benoit (1-3) as the Yankees ended a string of eight consecutive losses in one-run games - one shy of the franchise record.

It marked the fourth multiple-hit game of the series for Chavez, who went 9-for-16 with two homers and six RBIs while starting in place of the injured Alex Rodriguez.

Clay Rapada (3-0) went two-thirds of an inning in relief of Hiroki Kuroda for the win. Rafael Soriano got the final four outs for his 27th save, escaping a ninth-inning jam with runners at the corners and no outs.

Alex Avila clubbed a two-run homer for the Tigers, who dropped two games behind division-leading Chicago in the American League Central with only their third loss in the last 19 games at Comerica Park.

Kuroda went 6 1/3 innings, giving up three runs on a season high-tying 10 hits. Tigers starter Doug Fister also went 6 1/3 innings, allowing two runs on eight hits.

The Yankees jumped on top in the second inning when Raul Ibanez tripled home a run and scored on Ichiro Suzuki's two-out single.

Detroit went ahead with three runs in the fifth. Avila's homer extended his hitting streak to 10 games before Andy Dirks delivered a go-ahead bloop double.

GAME NOTEBOOK: Yankees manager Joe Girardi was ejected in the fifth inning for angrily protesting that third base umpire Tim Welke initially ruled that Dirks' RBI double down the left-field line was a foul ball. It was Girardi's third ejection of the season - all coming against Detroit. ... Ten of the last 12 hits allowed by Benoit have been home runs. ... The start of the game was delayed 29 minutes by rain. ... Dirks went 7-for-14 with two doubles and five RBIs in the series. ... Kuroda entered Thursday's start with a 4-1 mark and 0.25 ERA in day games this year, the lowest ERA during a span of five day starts since Greg Maddux in 1998. ... Cabrera started at DH for the second time in five games due to a sore ankle. ... Tigers LF Don Kelly cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Toledo. ... The Yankees head to Toronto for a three-game series while the Tigers hit the road for a three-game set at Texas.